title: Antioxidant potential of selected Spirulina platensis preparations.
abstract: Recent studies suggest that Spirulina, a unicellular blue-green alga, may have a variety of health benefits and therapeutic properties and is also capable of acting as an antioxidant and antiinflammatory agent. In this study, a cell-free and a cell-based test assay were used to examine the antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties of four selected Spirulina platensis preparations: (1) Biospirulina, (2) SpiruComplex, a preparation with naturally bound selenium, chromium and zinc, (3) SpiruZink, a preparation with naturally bound zinc, (4) Zinkspirulina + Acerola, a preparation with naturally bound zinc and acerola powder. The cell-free test assay used potassium superoxide as a donor for superoxide radicals, whereas the cell-based test assay used the formation of intracellular superoxide radicals of functional neutrophils upon stimulation by phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate as a model to investigate the potential of Spirulina preparations to inactivate superoxide radicals. In accordance with the recommended daily dosage, test concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 microg/mL were chosen. The results showed a dose-dependent inactivation of free superoxide radicals (antioxidant effect) as well as an antiinflammatory effect characterized by a dose-dependent reduction of the metabolic activity of functional neutrophils and a dose-dependent inactivation of superoxide radicals generated during an oxidative burst. The results demonstrate that the tested Spirulina preparations have a high antioxidant and antiinflammatory potential. Especially SpiruZink and Zinkspirulina + Acerola might be useful as a supportive therapeutic approach for reducing oxidative stress and/or the generation of oxygen radicals in the course of inflammatory processes.
authors.affiliation: Dartsch Scientific GmbH, Institut für zellbiologische Testsysteme, Horb am Neckar, Germany. pc.dartsch@dartsch-scientific.com
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dartsch
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002474:Cell-Free System; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D053545:Spirulina / Q000737:chemistry*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005609:Free Radicals; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013481:Superoxides