Abstract:
Marine algae are found to be excellent in their nutritional and potential therapeutic properties.
This study explores the antidiabetic and anticancer potential of fractionated polyphenolic extract
of Caulerpa racemosa, green macroalgae. Crude polyphenolic extract (CPE) of C. racemosa and its
fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform, and distilled water) were tested for its total phenol
and favonoid contents and antioxidant potential. The ethyl acetate fraction was subjected to gas
chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The in vitro antidiabetic activity was assessed by alphaamylase, glucosidase inhibition and anti-glycation assays. Also, in-silico studies were conducted to
test the binding afnities between caulerpin with alpha-glucosidase enzyme and estrogen receptor
(ER) active sites. Each fraction was tested for its in vitroin vitroanticancer activity by CellTiter-Glo and
MTT cell proliferation assays. The total phenolic and favonoid contents and the antioxidant potential
of the crude extract were observed to be dose dependent. The GC/MS analysis of the ethyl acetate
fraction yielded 47 peaks, whereas n-hexadecanoic acid and hexadecanoic acid methyl ester showed
the highest compatibility percentages of 99% and 96%, respectively. The CPE exhibited a higher
potential in both alpha-amylase inhibitory and anti-glycation activities. The ethyl acetate fraction
was more efective against alpha-glucosidase inhibition. Molecular docking revealed a high binding
afnity between the alpha-glucosidase enzyme and caulerpin and showed high binding afnity toward
caulerpin, with H-bond interactions. The in vitro anticancer analyses revealed that chloroform fraction
and CPE exhibited moderate activity on the KAIMRC1 cell line. Also, the CPE exhibited high specifcity
compared to the standard drug in anticancer studies. Our fndings evidence the pharmacological
potential of the CPE of C. racemosa, and bioactive compounds of the species may be utilized as lead
molecules to develop anti-diabetic and anti-cancer drugs.
