Therapeutic health booster: seaweeds against several maladies

2014

Seaweeds are one of the most important living resources of the ocean and are one of the largest producers of biomass in the marine environment. They produce a wide variety of chemically active metabolites in their surroundings, potentially as an aid to protect themselves against the other settling organisms. These biogenic molecules impart the uniqueness of chemical diversity in seaweeds compared to other plants. Which owe them multitude of medicinal properties, because of that they are often been used as a food for people who are sick and has been credited with health-giving properties and have gained importance as medicinal sources. Present review highlights a state of art on the medicinal value of seaweeds and their exploitation scenario on a global scale.

marine drugs, 2022

: Since ancient times, seaweeds have been employed as source of highly bioactive secondary metabolites that could act as key medicinal components. Furthermore, research into the biological activity of certain seaweed compounds has progressed significantly, with an emphasis on their composition and application for human and animal nutrition. Seaweeds have many uses: they are consumed as fodder, and have been used in medicines, cosmetics, energy, fertilizers, and industrial agar and alginate biosynthesis. The beneficial effects of seaweed are mostly due to the presence of minerals, vitamins, phenols, polysaccharides, and sterols, as well as several other bioactive com‐pounds. These compounds seem to have antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐cancer, antimicrobial, and anti‐diabetic activities. Recent advances and limitations for seaweed bioactive as a nutraceutical in terms of bioavailability are explored in order to better comprehend their therapeutic develop‐ ment. To further understand the mechanism of action of seaweed chemicals, more research is needed as is an investigation into their potential usage in pharmaceutical companies and other applications, with the ultimate objective of developing sustainable and healthier products. The objective of this review is to collect information about the role of seaweeds on nutritional, pharmacolog‐ical, industrial, and biochemical applications, as well as their impact on human health

Algae - Organisms for Imminent Biotechnology, 2016

Living organisms endowed with natural benefits have been used for millions of years in the medical practice. Seaweeds have been widely used around the world for the production of agar and food; however, the pharmaceutical industry has drawn attention to the activities of these natural products. In this chapter, we present some bioactive metabolites of the three phyla of seaweed (green, brown, and red algae) along with their potential for drug development.

Journal of Applied Phycology, 2004

In the last three decades the discovery of metabolites with biological activities from macroalgae has increased significantly. However, despite the intense research effort by academic and corporate institutions, very few products with real potential have been identified or developed. Based on Silverplatter MEDLINE and Aquatic Biology, Aquaculture & Fisheries Resources databases, the literature was searched for natural products from marine macroalgae in the Rhodophyta, Phaeophyta and Chlorophyta with biological and pharmacological activity. Substances that currently receive most attention from pharmaceutical companies for use in drug development, or from researchers in the field of medicine-related research include: sulphated polysaccharides as antiviral substances, halogenated furanones from Delisea pulchra as antifouling compounds, and kahalalide F from a species of Bryopsis as a possible treatment of lung cancer, tumours and AIDS. Other substances such as macroalgal lectins, fucoidans, kainoids and aplysiatoxins are routinely used in biomedical research and a multitude of other substances have known biological activities. The potential pharmaceutical, medicinal and research applications of these compounds are discussed.

Seaweed is a general nomenclature used species of algae and marine plants breed in water bodies like rivers and oceans. They grow in a wide range of sizes from microscopic to stupendous. Seaweed, or macro algae as it is known scientifically, includes over 10,000 species of the fastest growing plants on earth. Seaweeds come in an amazing variety of beautiful shapes, colors and sizes, and are found in all of the World. They are most abundant in shallow rocky coastal areas, especially where they are exposed at low tide. Seaweed is taxonomically classified under four groups according to the color of photosynthetic pigments namely red algae (rhodophyta), brown algae (phaeophyta), green algae (chlorophyta) and blue green algae (cyanophyta). Seaweeds are one of the most nutritionally and therapeutically valuable foods. Their value to health is largely due to their high mineral content and the therapeutic sulfated polysaccharides. Seaweeds are also a source of all the known vitamins, chlorophyl lignans, polyphenols, antioxidants and chemical diversity including pigments, polysaccharides, organic, and inorganic compounds which are used as animal fodder, food, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceutical. The aim of this review is to accumulate in brief, the therapeutics and medicinal uses of seaweed on the some mentioned ailments.

2019

The global economic effect of the five driving chronic diseases-malignancy, diabetes, psychological instability, CVD, and respiratory disease- could reach $47 trillion throughout the following 20 years, as indicated by an examination by the World Economic Forum (WEF). As per the WHO, 80% of the total people principally those of developing countries depend on plant-inferred medicines for social insurance. The indicated efficacies of seaweed inferred phytochemicals are demonstrating incredible potential in obesity, T2DM, metabolic syndrome, CVD, IBD, sexual dysfunction and a few cancers. Hence, WHO, UN-FAO, UNICEF and governments have indicated a developing enthusiasm for these offbeat nourishments with wellbeing advancing impacts. Edible marine macro-algae (seaweed) are of intrigue in view of their incentive in nutrition and medicine. Seaweeds contain a few bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, polyphenols, and pigments, all of which may have useful well-being ...

Seaweed Biomaterials

Edible seaweeds are rich in bioactive compounds such as soluble dietary fibers, proteins, peptides, minerals, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants. Previously, seaweeds were only used as gelling and thickening agents in the food or pharmaceutical industries, recent researches have revealed their potential as complementary medicine. The red, brown and green seaweeds have been shown to have therapeutic properties for health and disease management, such as anticancer, antiobesity, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidant, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiestrogenic, thyroid stimulating, neuroprotective, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and tissue healing properties. In proposed chapter, we discussed various active compounds include sulphated polysaccharides, phlorotannins, carotenoids (e.g. fucoxanthin), minerals, peptides and sulfolipids, with proven benefits against degenerative metabolic diseases. Moreover, therapeutic modes of action of these bioactive components and their reports are summarized in this chapter.

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 2019

According to the WHO, 2.3 billion adults are overweight and the prevalence is higher in females of childbearing age than males [1]. In the US, the economic burden is estimated to be about $100 billion annually [2]. Worldwide obesity causes 2.8 million deaths per year and 35.8 million disability-adjusted life-years, some 45% of diabetes, 25% of IHDs and up to 41% of certain cancers [3]. Four major bioactive compounds from seaweeds which have the potential as anti-obesity agents are fucoxanthin, alginates, fucoidans and phlorotannins [4]. Alginates are amongst the seaweed fibers that are well-known for their anti-obesity effects. They have been shown to inhibit pepsin, pancreatic lipase [5], reduced body

Marine Drugs, 2019

Macroalgae are increasingly viewed as a source of secondary metabolites with great potential for the development of new drugs. In this development, in vitro studies are only the first step in a long process, while in vivo studies and clinical trials are the most revealing stages of the true potential and limitations that a given metabolite may have as a new drug. This literature review aims to give a critical overview of the secondary metabolites that reveal the most interesting results in these two steps. Phlorotannins show great pharmaceutical potential in in vivo models and, among the several examples, the anti-dyslipidemia activity of dieckol must be highlighted because it was more effective than lovastatin in an in vivo model. The IRLIIVLMPILMA tridecapeptide that exhibits an in vivo level of activity similar to the hypotensive clinical drug captopril should still be stressed, as well as griffithsin which showed such stunning results over a variety of animal models and which wi...

International journal of basic and clinical pharmacology, 2021

Seaweeds in general are known to contribute to the maintenance of health through their nutritional and medicinal properties and are served in soups and salads, cooked with grains, legumes or miso-soup broth, vegetable pies, stews and even consumed dried. The medicinal properties of seaweeds or vegetables have long been known in many cultures of people particularly those living in the coastal regions who are consuming these from centuries. Traditional Chinese dietotherapy (TCD) makes good use of natural marine nutrients and food to preserve health. Koreans wrap their bodies in seaweeds to get rid of deadly body toxins and Japanese who eat large quantities of seaweeds have very low incidence of cancers. The compounds with diverse biological activities such as antioxidant, antiviral, antifungal, antineoplastic, antimicrobial etc. have been isolated from the flora in the sea. A score of these bio-medicinal compounds are in different stages of clinical trials & analysis and are the focus...