Extraction and Purification of C-Phycocyanin from Spirulina Powder and Evaluating its Anti-oxidant, Anti-coagulant and DNA Damage Prevention Properties

C-Phycocyanin (C-PC) is a phycobiliprotein found in blue-green algae, such as Spirulina platensis which is often used as a dietary nutritional supplement and exhibits a variety of pharmacological properties. Cyanobacteria and algae possess a wide range of colored compounds, including chlorophyll, carotenoids and phycobiliproteins. In this regard, extraction, partial purification, antioxidant, anticoagulation and prevention of DNA damage activity of C-PC were investigated. In the present study, a simple and efficient method to extract C-PC from Spirulina platensis dry powder is reported. Spirulina platensis dry powder was obtained from NB Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Nagpur, India. The extractions were carried out using two different methods: cold maceration and sonication method. The extraction using the cold maceration method proved to be the most efficient method. The efficiency of extraction methods was determined by calculating the concentration and purity ratio of isolated C-PC. Obtained crud C-PC was purified by ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis and gel filtration and presented a final extraction yield of 3.27±0.09 mg/ml with a purity ratio of 2.317±0.08. When it was evaluated as an antioxidant in vitro, it was able for scavenging nitric oxide. SDS-PAGE results show that the 40% ammonium sulphate precipitated sample and dialyzed sample show two bands of C-PC i.e. α and β with 17 and 19kDa respectively along with other proteins. C-PC showed significant anticoagulation and prevention of DNA damage activity. C-PC is a significant contributor to DNA damage prevention by scavenging of –OH.