Algae Essential Oils: Chemistry, Ecology, and Biological Activities

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the essential oils and volatile fractions of seaweed. It includes an introduction to the essentials and volatile fractions and the main chemical classes found. This part is completed by a presentation of the fundamental aspects of biodiversity and the chemodiversity of the marine environment followed by the taxonomy and systematics of marine macroalgae. The heart of this chapter concerns the chemistry of volatile products extracted from marine algae. It reports the specificities of the marine natural products chemistry in comparison to that of terrestrial organisms. The description of volatile compounds in seaweed is divided into two parts, the first reports the common compounds identified in main volatile fractions and the second cover the specific volatile components. These include C11 hydrocarbons, sulfur compounds, and halogenated hydrocarbons. These latter are playing a very important role in communication and chemical defense. The last part includes aspects of chemical ecology and biological activities of volatile products.

Seasonal Changes in Essential Oil Constituents of Cystoseira compressa: First Report

“…Compounds from the chemical class of hydrocarbons, alkanes, and alkenes are common compounds in the majority of marine macroalgae EOs [1]. Although unsaturated hydrocarbons from C8 to C19 with the presence of 1 to 4 degrees of unsaturation are common, our study mainly reported the presence of compounds with one double bond.…”

“…One of the main limitations of the use of algal materials in the food industry is their flavor, which is the main parameter of quality directly related to consumers' acceptance of food [2]. In comparison to the terrestrial odoriferous plants, only some algae possess an attractive, pleasant odor and characteristic marine flavor, and, therefore, great potential to be used in various food and cosmetic preparations [1,13].…”

“…More than 70% of the Earth's surface is covered with oceans and seas, so it is not surprising that marine ecosystems are extremely complex with tremendous biodiversity. Recently, there is a growing trend in the investigation of new, inexpensive, and valuable sources of biologically active compounds, and marine origin products, like algae, are one of the most interesting sources, due to their production of a great variety of unique secondary metabolites [1]. Algae are vegetative organisms widely distributed throughout the world.…”

“…Essential oils (EOs), as a special chemical group of algal metabolites, play an important role in communication in marine ecosystems, both interspecies and intraspecies, as well as in interactions with the surrounding environment. These compounds are involved in various algal ecological functions: they are defenses against predators and herbivores; they act as pheromones (allelochemicals; take part in the adaptation to abiotic stresses; and are important for the inhibition of bacterial and/or fungal fouling [1,[10][11][12]. The essential oil metabolites present in marine algae species contain a mixture of different chemical classes such as hydrocarbons, fatty acids, esters, alcohols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, polyphenols, furans, pyrazines, pyridines, halogenated amines, and sulphur compounds [1,2].…”

“…These compounds are involved in various algal ecological functions: they are defenses against predators and herbivores; they act as pheromones (allelochemicals; take part in the adaptation to abiotic stresses; and are important for the inhibition of bacterial and/or fungal fouling [1,[10][11][12]. The essential oil metabolites present in marine algae species contain a mixture of different chemical classes such as hydrocarbons, fatty acids, esters, alcohols, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, terpenes, polyphenols, furans, pyrazines, pyridines, halogenated amines, and sulphur compounds [1,2]. The production of algal EOs is closely related to the physiology of the species [11,12].…”