Evaluation of Chemical Composition and In Vitro Antiinflammatory Effect of Marine Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris.

The present study was aimed to investigate the nutritional composition, chemical components and anti-inflammatory activity of C. vulgaris. The isolated microalga was mass cultured in laboratory by selective media with optimum conditions. Protein content was found to be higher for 45.23% followed by carbohydrate (23.43%) and total lipid (18.12%). Minerals components was recorded by the following order: Magnesium > Calcium > Iron > Manganese > Zinc > Copper. Seven vitamins were estimated, vitamin B₃ was recorded higher (13.3 mg/100 g) and B₁₂ has shown lesser amount (0.21 mg/100 g). The pigments chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids were found to be 4.7 mg/g, 4.2 mg/g and 6.11 mg/g respectively. Secondary metabolite was extracted by methanol and chloroform and further screened for the in vitro anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of albumin denaturation, antiproteinase, hypotonicity-induced haemolysis and anti-lipoxygenase assays and results have been recorded by concentration dependent. From the results, the anti-inflammatory activities of the methanolic extract were found higher than the chloroform extract at 500 µg/ml. The functional groups of the potent methanolic extract were studied by FT-IR analysis which revealed the presence of alkane, nitro and carboxyl groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]