Extraction, purification and study on antioxidant properties of fucoxanthin from brown seaweeds

Sudhakar M P, Ananthalakshmi J

Abstract

Five brown seaweeds such as Sargassum wightii, Sargassum ilicifolium, Sargassum longifolium, Padina sp. and Turbinaria sp. were selected for fucoxanthin extraction and purification. Among the various solvents used 90% acetone was found to be good for extraction of carotenoids. The crude pigments extracted were initially screened through TLC (Thin-layer chromatography) and then fucoxanthin was separated and purified using Silica column chromatography (230-400 mesh, Merck). The fucoxanthin eluted using n-hexane and acetone in the ratio of 7:3 was sensitive to light and temperature. The purified sample of fucoxanthin was later checked with free radicals for its antioxidant property.