Antioxidant activity of extracts of the marine algal genus Cystoseira in a micellar model system

The antioxidant activity of the lipid extracts of eight marine algae belonging to the Cystoseira genus has been evaluated in a micellar model system. The activity has been ascribed to the presence in the extracts of tetraprenyltoluquinols, which are tocopherol-like compounds characteristic of these algae. Results have been expressed as relative antioxidant efficiency (RAE), defined as the ratio of the antioxidant efficiency (AE) of the tested extract to that of alpha -tocopherol. From the results a composition-activity relationship has been deduced.