Wide Range Applications of Spirulina: From Earth to Space Missions
Giacomo Fais, Alessia Manca, Federico Bolognesi, Massimiliano Borselli, Alessandro Concas, Marco Busutti, Giovanni Tringali, Pierdanilo Sanna, Yandy Marx Castillo‐Aleman, René Antonio Rivero‐Jiménez, Antonio Alfonso Bencomo‐Hernandez, Yendry Ventura-Carmenate, Michela Altea, Antonella Pantaleo, Gilberto Gabrielli, Federico Biglioli, Giacomo Cao, Giuseppe Giannaccare
Abstract
is the most studied cyanobacterium species for both pharmacological applications and the food industry. The aim of the present review is to summarize the potential benefits of the use of Spirulina for improving healthcare both in space and on Earth. Regarding the first field of application, Spirulina could represent a new technology for the sustainment of long-duration manned missions to planets beyond the Lower Earth Orbit (e.g., Mars); furthermore, it could help astronauts stay healthy while exposed to a variety of stress factors that can have negative consequences even after years. As far as the second field of application, Spirulina could have an active role in various aspects of medicine, such as metabolism, oncology, ophthalmology, central and peripheral nervous systems, and nephrology. The recent findings of the capacity of Spirulina to improve stem cells mobility and to increase immune response have opened new intriguing scenarios in oncological and infectious diseases, respectively.