Enhancement of Skin Immune Activities of Spirulina maxima by High Pressure Extraction Process

A marine alga, Spirulina maxima, was extracted under high pressure and low temperature conditions at 500 ㎫ and 60℃ for 5 and 10 min. A high pressure of 500 ㎫ was applied to improve process yields because of low temperature extraction. This method resulted in highest higher extraction yield of 26.1% (w/w) in comparison to those results obtained from conventional extraction methods which produced a yield of 17.6% (w/w) from water. The extracts from this process also showed 19% of low cytotoxicity against human normal fibroblast cells in adding 1.0 ㎎/㎖ of the highest concentration. The crude extract significantly reduced the production of Prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) from CCD-986sk cells and increased nitric oxide production by macrophages. These higher activities of enhancing skin immune functions were found to have high antioxidant extract properties, like a 98% increase in DPPH radical scavenging activity. The extracts from the high pressure process showed a higher elution of active components than other processes and generated new compounds based on HPLC analysis. This clearly indicates that the extracts from high pressure and low temperature conditions have higher skin immune activation properties that have not been previously reported.