Bioactive components of the edible strain of red alga, Chondrus crispus, enhance oxidative stress tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans

• The antioxidative stress effect of the red seaweed, Chondrus crispus is reported.
• Caenorhabditis elegans model was used in this study.
• Fatty acids, lipids and pigments offered protection against oxidative stress.
• The stress response was mediated by sod3, hsp16.2, daf16 and skn1.

Seaweeds are rich sources of bioactive compounds with potential health benefits. Anti-stress effects of the cultivated red alga, Chondrus crispus, were investigated in the Caenorhabditis elegans model. Methanolic extracts of C. crispus (CCME) enhanced C. elegans tolerance to juglone-induced oxidative stress and increased life span; however water extracts did not show such effects. CCME treatment reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the worms and increased the transcription of stress response genes; sod3, hsp16.2, daf16 and skn1. The chemical profile of CCME revealed the presence of unsaturated fatty acids, pigments, galactolipids, floridoside, isothionic acid, taurine, phenylalanine and l-citruline. Bioassay guided fractionation revealed that fatty acids, lipids and pigments imparted stress tolerance. Taken together, our results suggest that organic fractions of cultivated C. crispus impart oxidative stress tolerance in C. elegans, possibly by altering the stress response pathways.