The capability of the red seaweed Gracilaria vermiculophylla in producing prostaglandins

The red seaweed G. vermiculophylla is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids with 20 carbon atoms, mainly arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid, which are precursors of prostaglandins (PGs). The present study aimed to elucidate the capability of the seaweed in releasing PGs using acetone powder as the crude enzyme. Crude enzyme was prepared using cold acetone. The crude enzyme was incubated with AA at different concentrations (0.1– 4 mg). For determination of PG contents, 5 µL of sample as the test solution corresponding to 0.2 g wet mass of the seaweed was injected into the HPLC. For mass spectrometer analysis, an HPLC system connected with mass spectrometer was used. Results of the study showed that t he released PGs from incubation of acetone powder and AA analyzed by HPLC consisted of PGE ₂ , 15-keto-PGE ₂ , 15-hydroperoxy-PGE ₂ , PGA ₂ , and AA while PGs detected by LC-MS were PGF _2α , PGE ₂ , 15-keto-PGE ₂ , 15-hydroperoxy-PGE ₂ , and PGA ₂ . The capability of the red algae in producing PGs was affected by available oxygen, aspirin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and AA concentration. The crude enzyme of the red alga (250 mg) was capable to produce 1.63 µg and 1.32 µg of PG ₂ and 15-keto-PGE ₂ from incubation with 0.25 mg of AA. This method could be the one way to provide PGs in vitro to fulfill demands of PGs in the pharmaceutical industry.