Determination of In Vitro Antioxidant Properties, Anti-inflammatory Effects and A-Amylase Inhibition of Purple Sea Urchin Extract of <i>Echinometra mathaei</i> from the Persian Gulf

Abstract

Background: Sea urchins contain high values of antioxidant substances such as polyphenols. Objectives: In the present study, the antioxidant activities, α-amylase inhibition, anti-inflammatory activity and the amounts of phenols and flavonoids of purple sea urchin Echinometra mathaei tissues obtained from Persian Gulf were examined. Methods: In December 2012, the purple sea urchin E. mathaei used for this study was harvested in the intertidal zone of Qeshm Island, Hormozgan Province, Iran. In the experimental design, extract isolation of different tissues of sea urchin such as spines, shells, gonads and Aristotle’s lantern was performed with the application of n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol solvents. Antioxidant properties of the samples were evaluated using different antioxidant tests such as total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reducing power. The anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory effects of samples were examined by inhibition of α-amylase and retardation of serum albumin denaturation, respectively. Results: With respect to antioxidant properties, the methanol extract of shell containing 40 μg/mL concentration possessed the maximum reducing power (OD = 0.475 ± 0.0049 and, ethyl acetate extract of Aristotle’s lantern at 1 mg/mL concentration presented the highest TAC (OD = 0.439 ± 0.0018). The n-hexane extract of gonad at a concentration of 1 mg/mL revealed the highest α-amylase inhibition (84.7 ± 2.92%). The ethyl acetate extract of Aristotle’s lantern at 20 μg/mL concentration possessed the highest anti-inflammatory property (69.78 ± 1.61 μg/mL). In biochemical analysis, the methanol extract of spine and ethyl acetate extract of Aristotle’ lantern had the highest phenolic (0.33 ± 0.017 mg/g) and flavonoid compounds (24.6 ± 0.72 mg/g), respectively. Conclusions: The obtained results revealed that sea urchin extracts could be used in pharmaceutical industries. Furthermore, its application in food industries as a supplementary food can be of great value.