Extraction and purification of C-phycocyanin from dry Spirulina powder and evaluating its antioxidant, anticoagulation and prevention of DNA damage activity.

ABSTRACT

C-Phycocyanin (C-PC) is a phycobiliprotein found in blue green algae, such as Spirulina platensis, is often used as a dietary nutritional supplement and exhibit a variety of pharmacological properties. In this regard, extraction, partial purification and antioxidant, anticoagulation and prevention of DNA damage activity of C-PC was investigated. In the present study, a simple and efficient method to extract C-PC from Spirulina platensis dry powder is reported. The extractions were carried out using two different methods: cold maceration and sonication method. The extraction using cold maceration method proved to be the most efficient method. Obtained crud CPC was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis and gel filtration and presented a final extraction yield of 3.27±0.09 mg/ml with a purity ratio of 2.317±0.08. When it was evaluated as an antioxidant in vitro, it was able to scavenge nitric oxide. C-PC showed significant anticoagulation and prevention of DNA damage activity.