Impact of Gastrointestinal Digestion on the Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Phlorotannins from Himanthalia elongata

A phlorotannin extract was obtained from Himanthalia elongata, revealing a profile rich in fucophlorethol-type and carmalol-type compounds. When subjected to simulated gastrointestinal digestion, its levels of total phlorotannins and antioxidant activity, measured in vitro via NO(●) and O(2)(●−) scavenging assays, were reduced, thus suggesting that these compounds’ integrity and bioactivity are negatively affected by the digestive process. Nevertheless, when undigested vs. digested extracts were used on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Raw 264.7 macrophages, both showed a strong inhibitory effect on the cellular NO(●) production. In fact, although not statistically significant, the digested extract revealed a tendentially stronger effect compared to its undigested counterpart, suggesting that even though there is a decrease in the phlorotannins’ concentration after digestion, with a consequent loss of their scavenging properties, the possible degradation products being formed may exert their effects through the modulation of the intracellular signaling mechanisms. Overall, this study not only contributes to a better understanding of the phlorotannins’ composition of the species H. elongata, but also shows that, although the digestive process may affect the integrity and concentration of these compounds, this does not necessarily translate into loss of bioactivity, in particular the anti-inflammatory activity, probably owing to the bioactive effects that the degradation products of these phenolics may have at an intracellular level.