Adding value to marine invaders by exploring the potential of Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt phlorotannin extract on targets underlying metabolic changes in diabetes

Abstract Marine biological invasions have considerable ecological and economic impact, and despite the attempts to control their spread, none has proved effective. Among seaweeds, Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt is recognized as one of the most successful invader species. If, on the one hand, S. muticum invasions are a potential threat to the marine environment, they can also arise as a valuable opportunity for obtaining unique bioactive compounds. While displaying a very mild inhibition towards α-amylase (IC50 > 5000 μg mL−1), phlorotannin-targeted S. muticum extract was particularly effective for α-glucosidase (IC50 = 27.06 μg mL−1), acting as a mixed-type inhibitor, and inhibited the activity of human aldose reductase (IC50 = 1345.85 μg mL−1), a key-enzyme in glucose metabolism. Moreover, the extract exhibited antiglycative effects and antioxidant properties, the latter being suggested as responsible for preventing macrophage-mediated injury. This work harnesses the biotechnological potential of S. muticum biomass, upholding the functionality of its polyphenolic constituents in the emergent interlink between diabetes, oxidative stress and inflammation.