Study on anti-AD functional marine phytosterols and their sources in dietary seaweeds

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K14799
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Chen Zhen 北海道大学, 保健科学研究院, 客員研究員 (60802634)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: Phytosterols / Seaweeds / Alzheimer’s disease / Nerrve cells / Lipid metabolism / Quantitative analysis

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a serious neurodegenerative disease involved in lipid metabolism disorder, while phytosterols are potential anti-AD components via regulating lipid metabolism. Although terrestrial phytosterols are well studied, marine phytosterols of seaweeds have been ignored for long. In this study, phytosterols were extracted and purified from edible seaweeds using the optimized procedure. Then, they were evaluated for anti-AD bioactivities via lipid metabolism regulation based on nerve cell model. Next, phytosterols in various dietary seaweeds were profiled and determined for exploring the dietary anti-AD phytosterol resources. This study not only developed marine phytosterols as new anti-AD functional components from foods, but also contribute to a better understanding of health-beneficial seaweed resources.

Free Research Field

食品科学関連

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

It is first time to evaluate marine phytosterols for their anti-AD bioactivity via lipid metabolism, and first time to prepare phytosterols from seaweeds with method optimization, as well as quantitative profiling. This study developed marine phytosterols as new anti-AD functional food components.