Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Applications of Seaweeds
Mostafa M. El‐Sheekh, Alaa Fathy, Hani Saber, Abdullah A. Saber
Abstract
SEAWEEDS are an indispensable natural source of bioactive metabolites characterized by multifunctional biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. For instance, seaweed-derived polyphenolics are potentially distinguished by their pivotal antioxidant effects in the treatment and/or prevention of several diseases. Moreover, pigments, fatty acids, terpenes, and terpenoids have been characterized by their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiobesityproperties, besides their highly effective hepatoprotective activities. Several seaweed-extracted polysaccharides, such as alginates, ulvans, and carrageenans, have been reported to exert various medicinal effects such as immunoinflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, and anticoagulant activities. Furthermore, seaweed-derived minerals have been widely utilized as food supplements and cosmeceuticals. This review discusses and emphasizes the biomedical and pharmaceutical applications of seaweeds and the future perspectives for their large-scale applications to develop novel, safe, and high-valued pharmaceutical constituents.