Abstract

Collagen is the main structural component of connective tissues in vertebral and invertebral animal tissues and organs. The collagen isolated from the body wall of sea cucumber (Holothuria lecospilota) can be used in the pharmaceutical field. The research aimed at isolating collagen from the sea cucumber body wall and testing the anti-tyrosinase and anti-elastase activity. This was done by isolation of collagen by soaking the body wall of sea cucumber using Tris-HCl-EDTA 0.1 M and dialyzing using 0.5 M acetic acid. The step was followed by characterization of collagen using FT-IR spectrophotometer and sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The resulting collagen was tested for anti-tyrosinase and anti-elastase in vitro. The research showed that the resulting collagen was of the amide group with molecular weight of 166.43 and 138.35 kDa, showing α1 and α2 chains. Anti-tyrosinase activity test showed an IC₅₀ value of 1.20 mg/mL, while anti-elastase activity test showed an IC₅₀ value of 125 µg/mL. The collagen isolated from the sea cucumber has weak anti-tyrosinase and moderate anti-elastase activity.

Key words: Crude collagen, anti-tyrosinase, anti-elastase, sea cucumber (Holothuria leucospilota).