Bioactive Polysaccharides from Seaweeds

Abstract

<jats:p>Bioactive compounds with diverse chemical structures play a significant role in disease prevention and maintenance of physiological functions. Due to the increase in industrial demand for new biosourced molecules, several types of biomasses are being exploited for the identification of bioactive metabolites and techno-functional biomolecules that are suitable for the subsequent uses in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical fields. Among the various biomasses available, macroalgae are gaining popularity because of their potential nutraceutical and health benefits. Such health effects are delivered by specific diterpenes, pigments (fucoxanthin, phycocyanin, and carotenoids), bioactive peptides and polysaccharides. Abundant and recent studies have identified valuable biological activities of native algae polysaccharides, but also of their derivatives, including oligosaccharides and (bio)chemically modified polysaccharides. However, only a few of them can be industrially developed and open up new markets of active molecules, extracts or ingredients. In this respect, the health and nutraceutical claims associated with marine algal bioactive polysaccharides are summarized and comprehensively discussed in this review.</jats:p>

Bioactive Compounds, Cosmeceutical And Nutraceutical Applications of Green Seaweed Species (Chlorophyta)

“…Polysaccharides are complex biological macromolecules that constitute monosaccharides polymers connected by glycosidic (ether) links. The extracted polysaccharides are usually found in sulfated and non-sulfated forms (Hentati et al, 2020). Generally, the polysaccharides (matrix and storage) present in the three different seaweed species (Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, and Rhodophyta) are macroalgae species-specific.…”

“…Generally, the polysaccharides (matrix and storage) present in the three different seaweed species (Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, and Rhodophyta) are macroalgae species-specific. For instance, ulvans and xylans were found abundantly in Chlorophyta (Hentati et al, 2020;Kumar et al, 2008). In general, ulvan is differentiated from other seaweed polysaccharides because of the remarkable rare sugars rhamnose and iduronic acid, which are identical to the mammalian glycosaminoglycans (Figueira, da Silva, Enrich-Prast, Yoneshigue-Valentin, & de Oliveira, 2020).…”

Algae and Microalgae and Their Bioactive Molecules for Human Health

“…In the present Special Issue, the biodiversity and chemodiversity of macroalgae species was explored from brown seaweeds from the Russian coast [ 1 ] to chlorophyta from the Philippines [ 2 ] passing through other diverse species [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. The study by Aminina et al [ 1 ] investigated nine species of Laminariales and four species of Fucales of the Pacific coast of Russia for their composition in polyphenolic compounds with antioxidant activity.…”

“…Two review papers emphasize the importance of polysaccharides from seaweeds [ 5 , 6 ]. The paper by Ismail et al [ 5 ] explores the chemodiversity of the red seaweeds and underlines their pharmaceutical applications, as well as the exploitation of their specific compounds and secondary metabolites.…”

“…Furthermore, the review by Hentati et al [ 6 ] focuses on macroalgae as a source of biomass for the industrial production of bioactive molecules and especially polysaccharides. Indeed, the increasing industrial demand for new biobased molecules requires the availability of efficient and safe biomasses for the identification and production of bioactive metabolites and technofunctional biomolecules suitable for further use in the cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical fields.…”