Anti-stress Effect of Brown Seaweed Sargassum hystrix J. Agard Ethanol Extract on Cold-Induced Stress in Wistar Rats

Abstract

According to Ravindran et al., 1 the phenomenon of stress is commonly experienced by humans and is now a common occurrence in modern life. Meanwhile, the condition of oxidative stress is characterized by more free radicals, compared to antioxidants. 2 In cases where free radical production is higher than the rate of neutralization by intracellular antioxidants, the surplus free radicals are potential causes of damage to cells. This is commonly called oxidative damage, the destruction of cell biomolecules due to reaction with free radicals. 3 A study by Khotari et al. 4 reported these free radicals to be alleged causes of apoptosis, lipid peroxidation in cell membrane, and damage to DNA (deoxyribo nucleic acid), while a report by Manisha et al. 2 showed this tends to have consequent impacts on the body, including cancer and other serious ailments. Marine algae is a significant traditional food in Japan, Korea, and other eastern countries. 5 Meanwhile, the brown algae Sargassum sp. is common to the southern beaches of Gunungkidul, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. This alga contains bioactive compounds with antitumour, antioxidant, antifungal, antihypertensive, antiviral, and antidiabetic properties. 6-10 A study by Lailatussifa et al. 11 reported Sargassum polycystum to contain polyphenols which is able to inhibit oxidative stress due to cold, while Budhiyanti et al. 12 stated S. hystrix possesses polyphenols with antioxidant properties. Therefore, marine algae are able to reduce oxidative stress. Bali and Jaggi 13 reported numerous pre-clinical models for inducing stress, including restraint stress in animals, while Di-Cerbo et al. 14 reported cold restraint stress to be widely used in evaluating the antistress effects exhibited by the extracts of Borago officinalis, S. polycystum extract 11 and Eugenia caryophyllys buds. 15