Phytochemical Identification and Antioxidant Activity of Sea Cucumber Collagen Extracted by Maceration and Soxhletation Methods

Free radicals exert numerous detrimental impacts, necessitating the presence of antioxidants to mitigate these adverse consequences. Previous studies have documented the antioxidant activity of sea cucumber from the Holothuroidea family. However, the impact of extraction techniques on the antioxidant activity of sea cucumber extracts has not been well-studied. Thus, this study aims to examine collagen extracts’ antioxidant activity through two distinct processes: Soxhlet extraction and maceration. The extracted samples were concentrated using the freeze-drying method, followed by a phytochemical analysis, functional group identification via FTIR, and an antioxidant activity assessment using the DPPH method. The antioxidant activity is quantified by the IC50 value. The phytochemical analysis showed that the sea cucumber extract had alkaloids, phenolics, and saponins. The FTIR results indicated that the sea cucumber extract contained a functional carbonyl amide group, akin to that of peptide compounds. The IC50 value of sea cucumber extract obtained from maceration (10.558 ± 0.033) was compared to Soxhlet extraction (19.107 ± 0.041) µg/mL. The antioxidant activity of sea cucumber extract obtained from maceration was superior to that derived from the Soxhlet method.