• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.313-319
• /
• 2009

The marine microalga Spirulina maxima was extracted using water or ethanol at 100 or $80^{\circ}C$ and by ultrasonification in water at $60^{\circ}C$. The ultrasonification technique generated the highest yield (19.8%). To be therapeutically useful, the extraction should yield a product with low cytotoxicity and high immunity against skin infections. The cytotoxicity of all extracts (1.0 mg/mL) was below 25%. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of the extract generated by ultrasonification was 5%. Extracts prepared in the described manners could inhibit hyaluronidase activity by up to 40% compared to the control. Increased growth of human B, T and NK cells and an increase in cytokine secretion were observed, confirming the interrelationship between both human immune and skin immune activity. The extract prepared by ultrasonification increased the growth of human B, T and NK cells up to $10.3{\times}10^4$ cells/mL, $11.3{\times}10^4$ cells/mL and $19.1{\times}10^4$ cells/mL, respectively. The extract prepared by ultrasonification also greatly increased the secretion of both IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$. Moreover, it was estimated that protein, Na and leucine occupy a high ratio. Accordingly, this study has confirmed that extracts prepared as described have the potential to effectively increase skin immunity.