INTRODUCTION:

The ocean, which covers more than 70% of the surface of the planet, is also home to a diverse range of marine life that produces an abundance of natural resources¹.

Nearly 80% of the world's animal and plant species live in the marine ecosystem. The intertidal zone has over 150,000 different types of seaweed. Diverse natural chemicals may be found in abundance in seaweeds and are used extensively in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and drug research sectors. Seaweeds can be found along the coast, such as in Mandapam, Ramanathapuram district. Seaweeds bloom in the shallow waters of the marine ecosystem's intertidal zones².

Seaweeds have a special trait that helps them survive in the salty marine environment.

Their cytoplasm's osmolarity is modified in relation to the osmolarity of salty seawater. Desiccation is not possible because of this adaptability.

Seaweeds are non-flowering plants that rely on their roots, stems, and leaves to survive in the aquatic environment³.

According to recent discoveries, bioactive substances found in marine species include polyphenolic compounds, polysaccharides, antioxidants, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals vital vitamins, and peptides^4,5.

Seaweeds also contain micro-Nutrients Cobalt (Co), Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr), Fluorine (F), Manganese (Mn), Germanium (Gr), Molybdenum (Mo), Iodine (I), Nickel (Ni), Sulphur (S), Selenium (Se), Silicon (Si), Vanadium (V), Tin (Sn), Tungsten (W), Zinc (Zn)⁶.

For a number of reasons, seaweed has been used in business and medicine as a new food with potential nutritional advantages. Additionally, sea algae have been shown to be an abundant source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds with anti-diabetic, antifungal, hepatoprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypercholesterolemia, antioxidant, antineoplastic, antioxidant, and hypolipidemic, amongst many other qualities^7,8.

A typical red alga that grows along the Mediterranean Sea shore is called Gracilaria foliifera. It can be seen growing both naturally and as artificial below the intertidal zone. The genus is widespread, occurring in both temperate and tropical areas. Most of the species in this genus are economically important because they are agar-producing (agarophytes), edible, and phytochemically interested⁹.

As a result, many species have been commercially cultivated and widely studied on temperate and tropical coasts where they naturally exist. However, there is little information about the Red Sea Gracilaria species¹⁰.

The purpose of this study was to look into the phytochemical components of Gracilaria foliifera in order to add to current knowledge of the Gracilaria species. In this vein, the current study examined the primary and secondary phytochemical profiles of Gracilaria foliifera.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Seaweed collection:

During low tide at Mandapam, a marine red alga called Gracilaria foliifera was obtained, Tamil Nadu, India. Extraneous materials such as epiphytes and sand were removed by carefully washing the specimen in seawater. Fresh samples were collected and promptly placed in a plastic container and returned to the laboratory. The samples were gently brushed and washed with distilled water after many washing with tap water, and then they were allowed to air dry at room temperature. A household blender was used to pulverize the dried material, which was then kept in an airtight container for future use^11,12,13.

Preparation of Extracts:

A fine powder of dry seaweed (25g) was extracted at room temperature for 24 hours with 450ml of methanol. The extraction process was performed three times, and Whatman No. 1 filter paper was used to filter the extract. A rotating evaporator was used to dry the filtrate while running at reduced pressure. In an airtight container, the extracts were kept at 4 °C until they were used ^14,15.

Preliminary Phytochemical analysis: ^16,17,18

Standard methods were used to determine the preliminary phytochemical analysis of alkaloids, phenolic compounds, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and steroidal glycosides.

UV – Visible Spectral analysis

For UV-VIS Spectrophotometric evaluation, an extract of Gracilaria foliifera was scanned with a (Shimadzu UV1800) UV-Visible double beam Spectrophotometer at wavelengths ranging from 200 to 800 nm. The unique peaks and their absorption values were recorded ^19,20

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Preliminary Phytochemical analysis:

Preliminary phytochemical analysis was determined in Gracilaria foliifera ethanolic extracts. The secondary metabolites that were discovered are listed in Table 1 and include phenol, coumarin, flavonoids, saponin, sugar, terpenoids, sterols, and tannin.

Table. 1: Preliminary phytochemical analysis of Gracilaria foliifera.

Bioactive compounds	Test	Present/absent
Reducing sugar	Fehling’s test	-
Alkaloids	Mayer’s test	-
Terpenoids	Salkowski’s test	+
Glycosides	Keller-kiliani test	-
Phenol and tannins	Ferric chloride test	+
Saponin	Foam test	+
Flavonoids	Alkaline reagent test	+
Steroids	Salkowski’s test	+
Anthocyanin	Hydrochloride test	-

(‘+’ presence and ‘- ‘absence)

Table 2: UV-Visible spectrum of ethanol extract of Gracilaria foliifera

Nanometers	Absorption values	Compounds
232.00	3.984	Phenol and Flavonoid ²³
663.00	0.076	Phenol and Flavonoid ²³

UV – Visible Spectral analysis:

The 200nm to 800nm range was selected for the UV-Visible fingerprint profile of the ethanolic extract of Gracilaria foliifera because of the sharpness of the peaks and the appropriate baseline. The profile revealed the compounds separated at the 232.00 and 663.00nm wavelengths with the absorbance of 3.984 and 0.076. Phenol and flavonoid content are confirmed by UV-VIS spectroscopic analysis (Fig.1 and Table.2)

FT-IR Analysis:

Transmission through Fourier Based on the peak value in the infrared light band, infrared spectroscopy is used to identify the functional group of bioactive components. The primary functional group of the components was determined based on the peak ratio after the Gracilaria foliifera extract powder was put into the FT-IR. Peak values of the FTIR spectrum with bioactive component functional groups were indicated in (Fig.2 and Table.3). FT-IR spectra of Gracilaria foliifera showed a peak at 3370.10, 2917.32, 2849.72, 1711.79, 1623.73, 1575.84, 1539.90, 1465.45, 1377.62, 1156.03m, 1036.75, 931.48, 720.15 cm-1 which reveals the existence of Aldehydes, Ketone, Carboxylic Acids, Alcohols, Alkenes, Alkanes Aliphatic Compounds, Alkene Methylene Group, Aromatics, Alkanes Phenols, and Aliphatic Amines.

The FTIR is a useful tool for determining the chemical components of plants, and seaweeds exhibit organic substances. Chemical components or metabolic products are represented in several indicator bands related to functional groupings.

Table: 3 FTIR spectrum peak value of ethanolic extract of Gracilaria foliifera

Peak Value	Functional Group	Spectroscopic Assignments
3396.34	Alcohols, Phenols	O-H stretch, H–bonded
2917.32	Alkanes Aliphatic compounds	-CH stretch
2849.72	Alkanes Aliphatic compounds	-CH stretch
1711.79	Aldehydes, Ketone, Carboxylic acids	C=O stretch
1623.73	Alkenes	C=C-C symmetric stretch
1575.84	Aromatics	C=C
1539.90	Aromatics	C=C
1465.45	Alkene methylene group	C–H bending
1377.62	phenol	O–H bending
1156.03	Carboxylic acid, carbohydrates and polysaccharides	C-O
1036.75	Aliphatic amines	C-N stretch
931.48	Carboxylic acids	C=O stretch, OH bend
720.15	Alkanes	C-H Stretch

CONCLUSION:

Seaweeds are potentially renewable marine supplies that have the potential to be a future promising medicine. The red seaweed Gracilaria foliifera was found to be a good source of phytochemicals in this study. According to the current study, the ethanolic extract of the red seaweed Gracilaria foliifera includes a significant number of primary and secondary phytochemicals that may contribute to its biological activities. Utilizing FT-IR and UV-visible spectrum analyses, which identify a range of chemical ingredients, these bioactive substances are described. The absorption bands for phenols, flavonoids, and their derivatives have been identified in the UV-visible spectra of seaweed. According to FT-IR spectra, the ethanolic extract had a number of functional groups. To fully exploit the target site, more study is required.

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS:

There is no conflict of interest, according to the authors.

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Received on 19.10.2021 Modified on 10.02.2022

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2023; 16(3):1391-1394.

DOI: 10.52711/0974-360X.2023.00229