ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Biochemical Activity of Biochanin A in the Green Alga Chlorella Vulgaris Beijerinck (Chlorophyceae)
R. Czerpak*, A. Piotrowska, M. Wierzbowska
 
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Institute of Biology, University of Białystok,
Świerkowa 20 B, 15-950 Białystok, Poland
 
 
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2003;12(2):163-169
 
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ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to investigate the influence of biochanin A (isoflavone characterised by estrogenic activity) upon the growth expressed as number of cells and the content of chlorophyll a and b, total carotenoids, reducing sugars, water-soluble proteins and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) in the unicellular green alga Chlorella vulgaris, as an experimental model. Biochanin A in a concentration of 10-6 M exerted the greatest biological activity, principally, on the 6th day of cultivation, whereas during the 9th day of algal culure it had weak stimulating properties. Under the influence of 10-6 M biochanin A, an increase in the number of cells to the level of 186% and the content of water-soluble proteins to 255%, reducing sugars to 505%, in comparision with the control culture (taken to be 100%), was observed. Moreover, the content of DNA was intensively stimulated in the range of 184% and RNA content reached the value 202% in regard to the control. Among the photosynthetic pigments, stimulation of the content of chlorophyll a to the level of 191%, chlorophyll b to 180% and total carotenoids to 172%, compared with the control culture of algae devoid of biochanin A, was recorded.
eISSN:2083-5906
ISSN:1230-1485
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