title: Determination of carotenoids in Dunaliella salina cultivated in Taiwan and antioxidant capacity of the algal carotenoid extract.
abstract: A simple HPLC method with good separation efficiency was developed to determine all-trans and cis forms of carotenoids in Dunaliella salina cultivated in Taiwan. The analysis used a C30 column (250×4.6mm, 5μm) and an isocratic solvent system (flow rate=1mL/min) mixing methanol-acetonitrile-water (84/14/2, v/v/v) and methylene chloride, (75/25, v/v). Carotenoids were detected at 450nm. Moreover, the antioxidant capacities of the algal carotenoid extract were also evaluated with Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, reducing power and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. Results showed that 7 carotenoids in the algal extract could be separated simultaneously within 30min and the total amount of them was 290.77mg/g algae. The contents of all-trans-β-carotene and 9- or 9'-cis-β-carotene, the major carotenoids in the algae, were 138.25 and 124.65mg/g algae, respectively. The contents of all-trans-lutein, all-trans-zeaxanthin, 13- or 13'-cis-β-carotene, all-trans-α-carotene and 9- or 9'-cis-α-carotene were 6.55, 11.27, 4.95, 2.69, and 2.41mg/g algae, respectively. The algal carotenoid extract had significantly higher antioxidant activity than all-trans forms of α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin in all antioxidant assays. The cis forms of carotenoids, especially 9- or 9'-cis-β-carotene, might play crucial roles for the antioxidant capacities of the algal extract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Jianguo N. Rd. Sec. 1, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chao-Chin
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Jianguo N. Rd. Sec. 1, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jau-Tien
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Jianguo N. Rd. Sec. 1, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fung-Jou
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Jianguo N. Rd. Sec. 1, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fen-Pi
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Diet and Restaurant Management, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Jianguo N. Rd. Sec. 1, Taichung 402, Taiwan. Electronic address: djyang@csmu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Deng-Jye
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: Algae; Antioxidant capacity; Dunaliella salina; HPLC