Bioactivity and chemical characterization of gonads of green sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis from Barents Sea

The cyclooxygenase-2 was inhibited by 62% with ESD1 and by 39% with ESD2. All the extracts from gonads significantly prevented the decrease in body weight of mice having streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced (STZ/NA) diabetes. ESD2 significantly reduced serum glucose level in mice after 5 days of administration. The 50% inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV was observed at a dose of 20 µg/ml of ESD2. These results suggest that sea urchin gonads may serve as a functional food for the management of inflammatory diseases and diabetes.