Abstract

The Gulf of Mannar is a Marine Biosphere Reserve situated along the east coast of India and Sri Lanka, an area of about 10,500 sq. km which has a luxuriant growth of about 680 species of seaweed belonging to the Rhodophyta, Pheaophyta and Chlorophyta, in both the inter-tidal and deep water regions. Seaweed constitutes a commercially important marine renewable resource. Seaweeds are rich in polysaccharides, minerals, proteins and vitamins. Documented antioxidant activity would elevate their value in the human diet as food and pharmaceutical supplements thus, in the present investigation the sea weed samples were collected in sterile condition and their antioxidant property for methanolic and petroleum ether extract was carried out by reducing power assay. The extraction process was carried out by drying and extracted the fine powder with different solvents. The extracted samples were then dissolved to a stock concentration of 1mg/ml and the reducing power assay was carried out with different concentrations of the sample. The methanolic extract of Cymodoceaeserrulata, Gracillariafolifera and Turbinariaconoides showed higher reducing power when compared to the standard. The petroleum ether extract of Cymodoceaerotundata and Ulvareticulata extracts showed higher activity when compared to the standard whereas Kappaphycussps showed the least activity when checked for its reducing power activity.

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