Phycocyanin

Phycocyanin  is a pigment-protein complex from the light-harvesting phycobiliprotein family, along with allo-phycocyanin and phycoerythrin.  Phycocyanin is a natural, water soluble and non-toxic food pigment extracted and processed from Spirulina platensis. It is a characteristic bright blue color, absorbing orange and red light, particularly near 620nm, and emits fluorescence at about 650nm.

Anti-cancer/Anti-tumor effect
Phycocyanin can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, and has a direct killing effect on tumor cells. Bing Li et al. found that phycocyanin can promote the expression of CD59 protein in Hela cells, hold back Hela cells' reproductions, and moreover, a dosage effect was found between them.

Anti-inflammatory property
Phycocyanin can eliminate free radicals, such as peroxo, alkyl and hydroxyl, and thus have anti-inflammatory activity. Studies by Romay et al. showed that phycocyanin exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in 12 inflammatory models. 

Antioxidation
Natural phycocyanin has the antioxidant activity of scavenging hydroxyl radical and hydroperoxide radical, thereby protects the body from various damages, which has been reported by Vadiraja B.Bhat, 2000. 

Immunity regulation effect
Phycocyanin can effectively improve the body's ability to produce antibodies, enhance immune function, and improve the body's resistance to disease. 

Liver activity
Phycocyanin provides protection to liver enzymes, it protects liver from chemical-induced injury. and showed that phycocyanin can significantly reduce the hepatotoxicity caused by a large number of free radicals produced by those compounds.

Protect nerve tissue
Phycocyanin can protect nerve tissue by reducing the free radicals' damage to neurons.