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Abstract
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Introduction: Marine algae due to their definite functional and physicochemical properties and the
presence of amino acids, vitamins and trace minerals, can be effective in treating many diseases as
nutriceutical drink and food supplements. Seaweed, rich in protein and containing all the essential amino
acids in controlling everything else. Also, they have higher protein digestibility markers than plant
sources in vitro. The aim of the current study was to determine the total protein amount, essential, semiessential, and unessential amino acids in Sargasum algae from the Persian Gulf at the coasts of Bushehr
province, in addition to the possibility to production of its nutriceutical drink.
Methods: The sargasum alga was milled after collection, washing, and drying. Protein contents of the
samples were determined via the kjeldahl method. The separation and the quantitative analysis of amino
acids have been carried out by HPLC analysis and UV detection.
Results: The total protein content was 12.5 %. A total of 17 amino acids including aspartic acid, glutamic
acid, serine, glycine, histidine, arginine, threonine, alanine, proline, tryptophan, valine, methionine,
isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine and lysine were detected. The essential amino acid of lysine, with the
most abundant of 24% and the unessential amino acid of hydroxyproline with 0.3% had the lowest
amounts. Among these, nine amino acids with an amount of 48.1%, four amino acids with amount 24.6%
and four amino acids with amount of 27.5% were respectively, as essential, semi-essential and unessential
amino acids.
Conclusion: Within these protein sequences, bioactive peptides have been identified with beneficial
properties for human health, including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-hypertensive, immunosuppressive,
anti-atherosclerosis, and hepatoprotective effects. Overall, the Persian Gulf marine Sargasum algae, has
potential as a functional food, due to the most abundant of the essential and semi-essential ami
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