# Phenolic Characterization and Comparative Antioxidant Profiling of Australian Asparagopsis armata and A. taxiformis Across Their Developmental Stages

## TL;DR

This study compares the antioxidant and phenolic properties of two Australian Asparagopsis species across their life stages and extraction methods.

## Contribution

The study provides a comparative analysis of phenolic profiles and antioxidant activity in Asparagopsis species across developmental stages and extraction techniques.

## Key findings

- Asparagopsis armata showed higher phenolic and antioxidant potential than A. taxiformis.
- Ultrasound-assisted extraction improved results in a species- and life stage-specific manner.
- LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS identified 24 phenolic compounds in the two species.

## Abstract

Asparagopsis has gained global attention for its chemical properties and environmental applications. However, its two main species, Asparagopsis armata and Asparagopsis taxiformis, remain understudied, with limited information available regarding their bioactive potential, especially across their development. In this study, we examined the phenolic profiles and antioxidant potentials of gametophyte and tetrasporophyte life stages and compared differences between conventional solvent extraction (CSE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), including total phenol content, total flavonoid content, determination of condensed tannins, and seven types of antioxidant activity detections such as DPPH and ABTS. In general, the phenolic compounds and antioxidant potential of the Asparagopsis species vary significantly at different life stages and under different extraction techniques. Among them, the phenolic profile and antioxidant capacity of A. armata were recorded as significantly higher than those of A. taxiformis, as reflected by its greater relative antioxidant capacity index scores. In our study, while UAE did not universally outperform CSE, species- and life stage-specific improvements were recorded. Moreover, LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS tentatively identified 24 phenolic compounds (17 in A. armata and 14 in A. taxiformis), pointing to a diverse bioactive profile. Overall, Asparagopsis species demonstrated marked variability in phenolic and antioxidant potentials across life stages and extraction techniques.