OxiCyan®, a phytocomplex of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and spirulina (Spirulina platensis), exerts both direct antioxidant activity and modulation of ARE/Nrf2 pathway in HepG2 cells

The antioxidant activity of plant extracts requires compelling evidence of the physiological functions of anti-oxidants at the cellular level. In order to assess the antioxidant power of the phytocomplex OxiCyan®, a bilberryextract functionalized on spirulina, traditional chemical methods (DPPH and ABTS) were compared toin vitrocellular responses by using HepG2 human hepatocyte carcinoma 85011430 cell lines. OxiCyan®was found to acton HepG2 cells in a dual mode: with a direct effect on ROS scavenging and as a cytoprotective agent via in-duction of ARE/Nrf2 pathway. Direct ROS scavenging activity of OxiCyan®depended on the anthocyanin moietyprovided by bilberry, whereas the gene activation of the ARE/Nrf2 pathway was triggered by spirulina chemicalconstituents. The comparative analysis of chemical and cellular assays indicated contrasting results. OxiCyan®showed a high antioxidant activity at the cellular level by both scavenging ROS and inducing the gene expressionof natural antioxidant cell defense.