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Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613769735077888 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Bekko, Adam |
| author2 | Abdul, Naeem Sheik |
| author_browse | Abdul, Naeem Sheik Bekko, Adam |
| author_facet | Abdul, Naeem Sheik Bekko, Adam |
| author_sort | Bekko, Adam |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134515 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:24.431Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/134515 Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress Bekko, Adam Abdul, Naeem Sheik Le Roes-Hill, Marilize Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Biochemistry. Type 2 diabetes Oxidative stress Antioxidants -- Mechanism of action Type 2 diabetes mellitus -- Complications -- Alternative treatment Marine natural products -- Therapeutic use Kelps -- Therapeutic use Cells -- Effect of stress on UCTD Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Bekko, A. 2025. Ecklonia maxima: A potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/1949a560-afad-4c42-8663-7029b1b17acd ENGLISH ABSTRACT: With a lack of access to proper medical infrastructure, low- and middle-income countries remain predisposed to many non-communicable diseases like diabetes. The rise of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is reaching epidemic levels worldwide; however, in the global South, this rise in prevalence is far surpassing what the global North is facing. This results in not only an increased level of prevalence but also means that many people who are diagnosed with these disorders remain untreated. One of the most commonly overlooked complications of T2DM is the detrimental effect that chronic hyperglycaemia has on oxidative stress. This chronic hyperglycaemic state has been linked to an increase in reactive oxygen species, which has further been associated with an increase in mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage to cell macromolecules. This has been observed as a common causal agent for many of the micro- and macro-vascular complications present within diabetic patients. Targeting oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction is therefore seen as a plausible therapeutic opportunity to prevent diabetic complications. Natural products have long provided a foundation for therapeutic discovery, yet the potential of marine resources remains largely untapped. Among these, the indigenous brown kelp Ecklonia maxima has been particularly overlooked despite its richness in bioactive sulphated polysaccharides, known as fucoidan. This research sought not only to extract these compounds via hot water extraction but also to utilise an enzymatic modification technique using a novel multi-copper oxidase, an approach de-signed to improve their bioactivity. In a model mimicking diabetic stress, both native and enzyme-modified fucoidans demonstrated bioactivity. At low concentrations, they robustly quenched intracellular ROS, rebalanced redox homeostasis, and activated cytoprotective pathways. Notably, a pronounced NRF2 upregulation was observed at 25 µg/mL, while PGC-1α expression was consistently and significantly enhanced across all treatments, underscoring improved mitochondrial resilience. Beyond antioxidant defence, the fucoidans exhibited remarkable hepatoprotective capacity, restoring metabolic efficiency and supporting anti-apoptotic mechanisms. Although our data revealed variations in the effectiveness of native and modified treatments, 25 µg/mL showed the most consistent and positive outcomes across all pathways tested. Notably, enzyme-modified fucoidans generally produced stronger responses, supporting enzymatic modification as a relevant strategy to enhancing bio-activity. By integrating indigenous knowledge with modern scientific approaches, this study attempted to advance the use of Ecklonia maxima’s fucoidan as culturally relevant, affordable, and effective co-treatments for type 2 diabetes and potentially other metabolic disorders where oxidative stress plays a central role. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2025-12-11T13:52:17Z 2025-12-11T13:52:17Z 2025-12 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134515 en Stellenbosch University xiii, 105 pages : illustrations, maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Type 2 diabetes Oxidative stress Antioxidants -- Mechanism of action Type 2 diabetes mellitus -- Complications -- Alternative treatment Marine natural products -- Therapeutic use Kelps -- Therapeutic use Cells -- Effect of stress on UCTD Bekko, Adam Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress |
| title | Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress |
| title_full | Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress |
| title_fullStr | Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress |
| title_short | Ecklonia maxima: a potential NRF2 antioxidant modulator in Glucotoxicity-induced oxidative stress |
| title_sort | ecklonia maxima a potential nrf2 antioxidant modulator in glucotoxicity induced oxidative stress |
| topic | Type 2 diabetes Oxidative stress Antioxidants -- Mechanism of action Type 2 diabetes mellitus -- Complications -- Alternative treatment Marine natural products -- Therapeutic use Kelps -- Therapeutic use Cells -- Effect of stress on UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/134515 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bekkoadam eckloniamaximaapotentialnrf2antioxidantmodulatoringlucotoxicityinducedoxidativestress |