Antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of some red algae (Rhodophyta) from Brittany coasts (France)

We assessed the antioxidant activity of crude extracts from 24 rhodophyte species from Brittany coasts using three complementary methods (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl, reducing activity, and beta-carotene-linoleic acid system). We also examined phenolic contents. Cytotoxic activities were determined with three different cancer cell lines. Four species (Aglaothamnion pseudobyssoides, Furcellaria fastigiata, Polysiphonia lanosa, and Heterosiphonia plumosa) had high antioxidant activity and high phenolic content. The extract from Brongniartella byssoides had the highest antioxidant potential, which was also found to be equivalent to the antioxidant activities of some commercial antioxidants. In the beta-carotene system, extracts from Porphyra leucosticta and Porphyra purpurea had some specific antioxidant activity. Furthermore, Asparagopsis armata, B. byssoides and H. plumosa extracts had strong cytotoxic activities against Daudi and Jurkat cells.