The coupling factor ATPase (F1) from photosynthetic membranes of the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis was purified to homogeneity by a combination of ion-exchange chromatography and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The ATPase activity of purified Spirulina F1 is latent but can be elicited by trypsin treatment, resulting in specific activities (CaATPase) of 27-37 mumol Pi min-1 mg prot...

The anti-inflammatory effect of microalgae Spirulina was studied in zymosan-induced arthritis in mice. Four days after the intra-articular injection of zymosan (15 mg/ml), Spirulina (100 and 400 mg/kg perorally) was administered to animals for 8 days. The mice were than killed and beta-glucuronidase was measured in the synovial fluid. Each knee joint was totally removed for histopathological st...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic condition of the oral cavity which results in permanent disability. A number of studies have proven that the management of premalignant diseases should include antioxidants. Therefore, a study was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of spirulina as an antioxidant adjuvant to corticosteroid injections in the management of 40 o...

Spirulina is a blue-green alga used as a dietary supplement. It has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective properties. This study was designed to evaluate the antitumor effect of spirulina (200 and 800 mg/kg) against a murine model of solid Ehrlich carcinoma compared to a standard chemotherapeutic drug, 5-fluorouracil (20 mg/kg). Untreated mice developed a pa...

The safety and effectiveness were examined of the spirulina alga on bone metabolism in ovariectomized estrogen-deficient rats and hindlimb-unloaded mice. The dosage range was from an amount equal to that recommended in so-called health foods for humans (0.08 g/kg BW/day) to a 100-fold higher dose. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the whole femur and tibia of ovariectomized rats in the any spir...

Background and purpose: Research has shown that aging affects appetite and energy intake. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of aerobic training (AT) and spirulina (SP) on Nesfatin-1 and Peptide YY (PYY) in overweight elderly men. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 32 overweight elderly men (age 57.50±4.84 years, Body mass index: BMI 26.90±2.85 kg/...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Spirulina is a known a functional food related to lipid profiles, immune functions, and antioxidant capacity. Circulating monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) level is associated with inflammation markers. Single nucleotide polymorphism in the MCP-1 promoter region -2518 have been identified and shown to affect gene transcription. Gene variation may also impact funct...

BACKGROUND Altered plasma lipids, oxidative stress, and inflammation have been involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Fish oil has shown inconclusive effects on plasma lipids and oxidative stress. Spirulina has both cholesterol lowering and antioxidant properties. However, the effect of fish oil and spirulina on hypercholesterolemia has not been studied. We investigated the eff...

The effect of Spirulina supplementation on reduction of copper toxicity based on food utilization, phosphatases activities and selected haematological parameters was studied in a freshwater cultivable fish C. mrigala. Metal concentration in medium, body tissues and fecal matter was also analysed. Sublethal exposure of C. mrigala fed Spirulina-free diet significantly reduced the consumption and ...

The effects of sodium bicarbonate concentration, population density, and temperature on the maintenance of an outdoor monoculture of the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis were studied. A clear response by Spirulina to the concentration of bicarbonate was evident, with 0.2M bicarbonate representing the lowest concentration in which a monoculture could be maintained. When the temperatures fell d...