Phycocyanin
Compiled from published pharmacological and botanical literature. Not independently verified by Herbuno. Spotted an error or have a correction? Flag it below →
| Chemical Class | Phycobiliprotein (light-harvesting pigment-protein complex) |
| Molecular Formula / CAS | Protein complex, ~110 kDa (hexameric); chromophore = phycocyanobilin · CAS 11016-15-2 |
| Primary Botanical Source(s) | Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) — a cyanobacterium, not a true algae |
| Plant Part | Whole organism (cyanobacterial biomass) |
| Typical Content | The most abundant protein in spirulina biomass, typically 10–20% of dry weight, responsible for spirulina’s characteristic blue-green colour |
| Solubility / Format | Water-soluble protein; available as extract powders at multiple standardised phycocyanin percentages |
| Sourcing Status | Product-live — genuine match via Herbuno’s spirulina-derived phycocyanin extract line |
| Buy from Herbuno | Phycocyanin 25% Powder · Phycocyanin 10% Powder · Phycocyanin E25 25% Extract Powder |
Name origin: Phycocyanin takes its name from the Greek phykos (seaweed/algae) and kyanos (blue), describing both its algal origin and its intense blue colour, which is responsible for the blue-green appearance of spirulina biomass. Traditional use: Spirulina itself has a documented history as a food source among Indigenous communities in Mexico (harvested from Lake Texcoco) and the Kanembu people around Lake Chad in Central Africa, valued as a dense, sustainable protein and micronutrient source long before phycocyanin was isolated as a distinct compound. Research trajectory: Phycocyanin research began with basic structural and spectroscopic characterisation of the phycobiliprotein family in the mid-20th century, given its striking optical properties, and has since expanded substantially into antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory pharmacology, driven in part by growing interest in spirulina as a functional food and natural blue colourant for the food industry. Commercial source: Spirulina is the standard commercial source of phycocyanin, and Herbuno’s standardised extract line reflects genuine, direct sourcing from this material.
Evidence for Phycocyanin Applications
Phycocyanin is a phycobiliprotein — a light-harvesting pigment-protein complex that cyanobacteria use in photosynthesis, distinct from the small-molecule secondary metabolites that make up most of the HerbIQ index. Its bioactivity is substantially attributed to its covalently bound tetrapyrrole chromophore, phycocyanobilin (PCB), which shares structural similarity with bilirubin, the body’s own potent endogenous antioxidant, and is proposed to inhibit NADPH oxidase activity through a comparable mechanism (McCarty 2007). Based on extrapolation from rodent studies, roughly two heaping tablespoons of whole spirulina (delivering around 200 mg PCB) is estimated to provide antioxidant-relevant PCB exposure in humans, though this extrapolation has not been directly confirmed in human trials. Claim strength: Moderate.
An in-vivo toxicity and immunomodulatory study in Balb/c mice found that orally administered C-phycocyanin produced no detrimental effects on kidney or liver function even at the maximum tested dose of 2,000 mg/kg body weight, while supporting antioxidant and immunomodulatory activity (et al. 2021). This safety profile, combined with phycocyanin’s well-documented antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, and hepatoprotective activities reported across preclinical literature, has supported its growing use as a nutraceutical and functional-food ingredient. Claim strength: Moderate.
Human clinical data specific to isolated phycocyanin remains comparatively limited relative to the preclinical literature, but a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating a high-dose phycocyanin-enriched aqueous spirulina extract (2.3 g/day for two weeks) found no adverse effect on blood coagulation or platelet activation, addressing a specific safety question raised by phycocyanin’s known COX-2-inhibiting, antiplatelet mechanism (et al. 2016). This trial is notable for directly testing a safety concern in humans rather than relying solely on animal-model extrapolation. Claim strength: Moderate.
Because phycocyanin is a protein rather than a small molecule, its stability profile differs materially from most HerbIQ compounds: it degrades with heat, extended light exposure, and pH extremes, which is why spirulina extracts intended to preserve phycocyanin content specify cold or low-temperature processing. Formulators should treat phycocyanin percentage on a certificate of analysis as a processing-sensitive specification, not a fixed property of the raw spirulina input material alone. Claim strength: Moderate.
A broader systematic review and meta-analysis of spirulina supplementation on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in randomised clinical trials attributes much of spirulina’s observed clinical benefit to its phycocyanin content specifically, describing phycocyanin’s mechanistic activity against COX-2, NF-κB, and prostaglandin E2 signalling as a plausible basis for the broader spirulina evidence base, while noting that isolating phycocyanin’s independent contribution from spirulina’s many other bioactive constituents remains methodologically difficult in whole-extract clinical trials. Claim strength: Moderate.
Dosage & Formulator Specification
No universally established human dosing range exists for isolated phycocyanin; the clinical safety trial referenced above used 2.3 g/day of a phycocyanin-enriched extract for two weeks, while antioxidant-relevant extrapolations from rodent studies suggest whole-spirulina intake in the range of two heaping tablespoons (roughly 200 mg PCB) daily, though formulators should treat both figures as reference points rather than validated clinical protocols.
Analytical quantification of phycocyanin content is performed by UV-visible spectrophotometry, exploiting its characteristic absorption maximum near 615–620 nm, a rapid and standard method for confirming label-claim potency; formulators should request a certificate of analysis specifying this spectrophotometric assay rather than a generic total-protein figure, which would not distinguish phycocyanin from spirulina’s other protein content.
Because phycocyanin is heat- and light-sensitive, cold-processed or low-temperature-dried spirulina extraction methods preserve substantially more phycocyanin activity than heat-dried whole spirulina powder; formulators prioritising phycocyanin content specifically should request processing-method documentation rather than assuming all spirulina-derived material carries equivalent phycocyanin levels.
Regulatory positioning for phycocyanin follows established spirulina food and colourant precedent; spirulina extract is an FDA-approved natural colour additive in the United States and carries similar recognised food-use status in most other major markets. No phycocyanin-specific regulatory limit exists beyond standard spirulina-derived ingredient documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions — Phycocyanin
No. Phycocyanin is one specific protein-pigment complex found within spirulina, typically making up 10–20% of spirulina’s dry weight and responsible for its blue-green colour. Whole spirulina contains phycocyanin alongside many other nutrients and bioactive compounds.
Phycocyanin is a protein that degrades with heat, extended light exposure, and pH extremes, unlike many small-molecule plant compounds. Cold or low-temperature processing methods preserve significantly more phycocyanin activity than standard heat-drying, which is why processing method matters when sourcing for phycocyanin content specifically.
Yes, at least one randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial tested a high dose (2.3 g/day for two weeks) of phycocyanin-enriched spirulina extract and found no adverse effect on blood coagulation or platelet function, addressing a specific safety question related to its known antiplatelet mechanism.
Herbuno offers Phycocyanin 25% and 10% Powder, plus a Phycocyanin E25 25% Extract Powder. The right choice depends on your target application and required potency — contact Herbuno for guidance on which grade suits a food-colourant versus nutraceutical formulation.
Related compounds: Astaxanthin, Lutein