ISSN - 0975-7058 Vol 10, Special Issue 1, 2018 ISSN - 0975-7058 PREPARATION OF POWDER FROM BROWN SEAWEED (SARGASSUM PLAGYOPHYLLUM) BY FREEZE-DRYING WITH MALTODEXTRIN AS A STABILIZER EFFIONORA ANWAR*, HILMIA ERIANTO, KURNIA SARI SETIO PUTRI Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, 16424, Indonesia. Email: effionora.anwar@farmasi.ui.ac.id Received: 01 April 2018, Revised and Accepted: 28 October 2018 and 01 November 2018 ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to prepare powder from liquid extract with maltodextrin dextrose equivalent 10–15 as a stabilizer using a freeze- drying method to maintain stability during drying process and extend storage time. Methods: Powders were prepared for four formulas: F1 (without maltodextrin), F2 (2.5% maltodextrin), F3 (5% maltodextrin), and F4 (10% maltodextrin). Powder from the four formulas was characterized by its phlorotannin concentration, antioxidant activity, water content, morphology, particle size distribution, pH, and organoleptic activities. Results: F4 was the best formula because it contained the highest phlorotannin concentration (113.06±1.36) or 0.25%, highest percentage of inhibition concentration 50 (IC 50 ) (4.06% at a concentration of 5000 ppm), and lowest water content (5.16%); moreover, in a stability test, F4 exhibited a more stable phlorotannin concentration and lower water content than F1, with an optimal storage temperature of 4°C. Conclusion: Maltodextrin can improve the stability bioactive compounds during the freeze-drying process and storage time. Keywords: Phlorotannin, Freeze-drying, Sargassum plagyophyllum, Maltodextrin dextrose equivalent 10–15. INTRODUCTION Seaweed is a component of the ecosystem along the coasts of Indonesia [1]. It can be divided into green seaweed or Chlorophyta, brown seaweed or phaeophyta, and red seaweed or Rhodophyta [2]. Brown seaweed has a higher level of bioactive compounds than the two other types [3]. One type of brown seaweed found along the coast of Indonesia is Sargassum spp., such as Sargassum plagyophyllum. Among many bioactive compounds contained in brown seaweed including Sargassum sp., antioxidants are particularly interesting because they are key compounds in treating various degenerative diseases and for preventing aging. Natural antioxidants in seaweed come from phlorotannin compounds, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, and carotenoid. Various studies have also revealed that phlorotannin is an antioxidant compound that plays the most important role in photoprotection in seaweed [4]. Phlorotannin is a polyphenol compound that is produced by the polymerization of a phloroglucinol monomer (1,3,5-trihydroxy benzene). As an antioxidant, phlorotannin has 10–100 times better activity against free radicals than flavonoids found in terrestrial plants [5]. However, the antioxidant activity of phlorotannin compounds and their use as food dyes are strongly influenced by their stability. Phlorotannin stability, such as that of the compounds polyphenols, is affected by pH, metal ions, light, temperature, oxygen, and enzyme activity [6-9]. Therefore, to maintain the antioxidant levels and physiological effects of phlorotannin compounds during the drying and storage process, a stabilizer is used, a commonly used example of which is maltodextrin. Maltodextrin is a polymer composed of d-glucose units with dextrose equivalent (DE) <20, which is used as a coating agent [10]. Maltodextrin is known to have low permeability to oxygen, thereby preventing oxidation of the active substance and increasing its stability during storage. The use of maltodextrin could, thus, have a positive effect on the stability of phlorotannin compounds during storage, preventing or minimizing their oxidation, which may affect the decrease in phlorotannin content and antioxidant activity. Besides using maltodextrin as a stabilizer, freeze-drying is used in the drying process to improve the stability of phlorotannins. This is because the use of a drying temperature below room temperature is suitable for heat-sensitive compounds such as polyphenol compounds [11]. Phlorotannins are members of the polyphenol compounds, so their conversion into powder using freeze-drying techniques can prevent their degradation by drying at high temperatures, as in the dry spray and oven method. Therefore, to maintain phlorotannin stability against a high temperature in the drying process and against oxidation during storage, this study used S. plagyophyllum extract powder with a freeze-drying technique using maltodextrin as a stabilizer. Then, the stability and characteristics of S. plagyophyllum extract powder were investigated for 8 weeks of storage. MATERIALS AND METHODS Research method S. plagyophyllum simplicia setup Brown seaweed S. plagyophyllum (Mertens) J.G. Agardh. was taken directly from Binuangeun Beach, Lebak, Banten. The samples were then washed and dried by aeration for about 4 days [12]. The simplicia was then identified at the Oceanographic Institute of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Ancol, North Jakarta. S. plagyophyllum (Mertens) J.G. Agardh. extraction The simplicia were cut into small pieces, weighed to 600 g, put into a brown bottle, and extracted by maceration for 24 h, followed by stirring at room temperature [13]. The extract was filtered with filter paper, Research Article © 2018 The Authors. Published by Innovare Academic Sciences Pvt Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4. 0/) DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22159/ijap.2018.v10s1.77 The 2 nd Physics and Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry Symposium (PTMDS), Universitas Indonesia. Depok, Indonesia