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An alginate degrading enzyme from the Vibrio crassostreae PKA 1002 strain was used to hydrolyze the water extract of Sargassum thunbergii. To obtain the optimum degrading conditions for the S. thunbergii water extract, the mixture of the water extract and enzyme was incubated at 30 o C for 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, and its alginate degrading ability was measured by reducing sugar and viscosity. A temperature of 30 o C for a period of 6 h was found to be the optimal condition for the enhancement of the alginate's degrading ability. The pH of the enzymatic hydrolysate was not significantly different from that of the water extract. Overall lightness decreased, but redness and yellowness increased after enzymatic hydrolysis. Total phenolic compounds did not differ between the water extract and the enzymatic hydrolysate. DPPH radical scavenging activity and the reducing power of the enzymatic hydrolysate were lower than those of the water extract. However, the chelating effect of the enzymatic hydrolysate (80.08% at 5 mg/ml) was higher than that of the water extract (62.29%). These results indicate that the enzymatic hydrolysate possesses an anti-oxidant activity by way of the action of the chelating effect.

The Zostera marina ethanolic extract (ZMEE) was tested in this study to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and mouse model. Nitric oxide production and inducible nitiric oxide synthase expression in cells treated with ZMEE was reduced significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α was inhibited markedly. In addition, the expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and the phosphorylation of JNK, ERK, and p38 MAPKs was suppressed by ZMEE as well. In vivo test, ZMEE attenuated the croton oil-induced mouse ear edema and there were no mortalities in mice administered 5,000 mg/kg body weight of ZMEE during the observation periods. The results in photomicrograph of mice ear tissue showed the reduction of dermal thickness and the number of infiltrated mast cells. These results indicate that ZMEE inhibits the production of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory mediators, suggesting that ZMEE may be a potential material for anti-inflammatory therapies.