Abstract
Seaweeds have received huge interest in recent years given their promising potentialities. Their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, hypolipemic, and anticoagulant effects are among the most renowned and studied bioactivities so far, and these effects have been increasingly associated with their content and richness in both primary and secondary metabolites. Although primary metabolites have a pivotal importance such as their content in polysaccharides (fucoidans, agars, carragenans, ulvans, alginates, and laminarin), recent data have shown that the content in some secondary metabolites largely determines the effective bioactive potential of seaweeds. Among these secondary metabolites, phenolic compounds feature prominently. The present review provides the most remarkable insights into seaweed research, specifically addressing its chemical composition, phytopharmacology, and cosmetic applications.
Highlights
Seaweed is a colloquial term for macroscopic, multicellular benthic marine algae
This review aims to provide updated insights into seaweed research, addressing their chemical composition, phytopharmacology, and cosmetic applications
They are mainly polysaccharides not degraded by mammalian enzymes, which mean that dietary fibers such as fucoidans, alginates, agar, and carrageenans (Table 2) have a low caloric value [49]
Summary
Seaweed is a colloquial term for macroscopic, multicellular benthic marine algae. Seaweeds are one of the largest producers of biomass in the marine environment [1], and constitute an important part of the diet and traditional medicine in many parts of Asia since prehistoric times [2]. Seaweeds provide the raw material for many industrial productions like seaweed gums [14], which are widely consumed as food in Asian countries, especially by coastal people in the form of edible seaweeds known as “sea vegetables” since the beginning of time [15], serving as an alternative source of dietary fiber, protein, and minerals. They possess many secondary metabolites responsible for their bioactivities, having commercial application in the medical, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, agricultural and cosmetic industries. This review aims to provide updated insights into seaweed research, addressing their chemical composition, phytopharmacology, and cosmetic applications
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