Comparative Evaluation of Antidiabetic and Nephroprotective Activity of Sargassum Ilicifolium Against Sargassum Longiotom and Sargassum Cinereum

Abstract

ABSTRACT newlinePage 1 newlineABSTRACT newlineMarine algae are increasingly recognized as promising sources of bioactive phytochemicals with significant therapeutic potential, particularly in the management of metabolic disorders and drug-induced organ toxicities. The present research was designed to evaluate the antidiabetic, nephroprotective properties of three selected marine brown algae namely Sargassum ilicifolium (SI), Sargassum longiotom (SL), and Sargassum cinereum (SC) collected from the Rameswaram,Mandapam coastal region of Tamil Nadu. The study further aimed to isolate and characterize major phytoconstituents using spectral methods and to assess their mechanism of action through in vitro assays, in vivo studies molecular docking, and Western blot analysis. The work integrates extraction, phytochemical screening, in vivo antidiabetic and nephroprotective evaluation, biochemical and antioxidant profiling, histopathology, isolation and spectral elucidation, and in vitro mechanism-based validation. newlineAqueous ethanol extraction of the algae samples revealed species-dependent variations, with S. cinereum yielding the highest extractive value (6.284 g), followed by S. ilicifolium (5.602 g) and S. longiotom (3.185 g). Qualitative phytochemical evaluation confirmed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, tannins, glycosides, and flavonoids in all species, while saponins and terpenoids exhibited selective distribution. Quantitative analysis indicated markedly higher flavonoid content in SL (94.12 mg QE/g) and SC (107.94 mg QE/g) compared to SI, while phenolic content followed the descending order SL gt SC gt SI, suggesting the differential bioactivity potential among species. LC MS profiling identified chlorogenic acid (Cand#8321;and#8326;Hand#8321;and#8328;Oand#8329;; m/z 355 [M+1] as a major constituent, warranting further isolation and mechanism-based evaluation. newlineAcute oral toxicity studies following OECD guidelines established the safety of the extracts, with no mortality or adverse effects observed up to 2000 mg/kg (LDand#8325;and#8320; gt 2000 mg/kg), making them suitable candidates for chr