A Comparative Analysis on Impact of Extraction Methods on Carotenoids Composition, Antioxidants, Antidiabetes, and Antiobesity Properties in Seagrass Enhalus acoroides: In Silico and In Vitro Study

Hidden beneath tropical waves, a humble seagrass may hold the key to fighting diabetes and obesity—if we extract it the right way.

Seagrasses are more than just underwater meadows; they are chemical factories. In a new study, researchers turned to Enhalus acoroides, a tropical seagrass collected from Manado City, Indonesia, to compare two green extraction methods: ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). Their goal? To unlock carotenoids—powerful pigments like β-carotene, lutein, and lycopene—and test their potential against oxidative stress, diabetes, and obesity.

The team used advanced UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS to identify the carotenoids, then ran in silico analyses with WAY2DRUG PASS and CB-Dock2. Three compounds, labeled C3, C4, and C7, showed strong interactions with key metabolic proteins and microRNAs, hinting at real therapeutic promise. In the lab, in vitro assays measured antioxidant activity (DPPH and FRAP), antidiabetic effects (α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition), and antiobesity potential (lipase inhibition and MTT assay on 3T3-L1 cells).

Both extraction methods produced active extracts, but MAE came out on top, yielding higher carotenoid content and stronger biological activity. This suggests that how you extract matters as much as what you extract. The study points to E. acoroides, especially when processed with MAE, as a promising natural source for marine-based health agents—offering a sustainable path from ocean to medicine cabinet.

Key Points

• MAE outperforms UAE in carotenoid yield and bioactivity.
• Carotenoids from seagrass show antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiobesity effects.
• C3, C4, C7 dock well with metabolic proteins and microRNAs.