Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Activities of the Methanolic Extract of Neorhodomela aculeate in Hippocampal and Microglial Cells

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The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of the marine red alga Neorhodomela aculeate (N. aculeata) MASUDA were investigated with neuronal and microglial cells. Extracts of N. aculeata had potent neuroprotective effects on glutamate-induced neurotoxicity and inhibited reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the murine hippocampal HT22 cell line. Also, extracts of N. aculeata inhibited H₂O₂-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenates. The properties of the extract as an anti-inflammatory agent were investigated in microglial activation by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ): it reduced the inducible nitric oxide synthase that consequently resulted in the reduction of nitric oxide. These results suggest that the marine red alga N. aculeata could be considered as a potential source for reducing reactive oxygen species and inflammation related to neurological diseases.