BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION, HAEMAGGLUTINATING ACTIVITY AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF PADINA GYMNOSPORA (KUTZING) SONDER
Extracts of the brown seaweed Padina gymnospora were examined for ash, lipid, carbohydrate, protein, nitrogen, sodium, potassium, calcium, sulphate, flavanoid, alginic acid, sodium, calcium alginate, phenol, mannitol, alkaloid, glycoside, tannin, sterol, fat contents. The study determined the presence of high carbohydrate (76 mg/g), protein (58.66 mg/g), flavanoid (70.66 mg/g), alginate (25.46%), mannitol (9.87%) and phenol (30.33 mg/g) contents. Qualitative test indicated the presence of major metabolites. Padina gymnospora have been screened for agglutinic activity by using human erythrocytes of A, B, AB, O positive blood groups and also for anticancer activity. The extracts from Padina gymnospora revealed high haemagglutinating activity against the B, AB and O positive human erythrocytes. The results showed that the extracts of brown seaweed Padina gymnospora have remarkable antitumor activity against HEpG2 cell line.