Abstract
During the last year, science has been focusing on the research of antivirally active compounds overall after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which caused a great amount of deaths and the downfall of the economy in 2020. Photosynthetic organisms such as microalgae are known to be a reservoir of bioactive secondary metabolites; this feature, coupled with the possibility of achieving very high biomass levels without excessive energetic expenses, make microalgae worthy of attention in the search for new molecules with antiviral effects. In this work, the antiviral effects of microalgae against some common human or animal viruses were considered, focusing our attention on some possible effects against SARS-CoV-2. We summed up the data from the literature on microalgae antiviral compounds, from the most common ones, such as lectins, polysaccharides and photosynthetic pigments, to the less known ones, such as unidentified proteins. We have discussed the effects of a microalgae-based genetic engineering approach against some viral diseases. We have illustrated the potential antiviral benefits of a diet enriched in microalgae.
Highlights
We focused our attention on some possible effects against SARS-CoV-2
Studies using HPLC showed that the antiviral effect against nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV), a double-stranded DNA-enveloped virus from the Baculoviridae family killing the silkworm Bombyx mori, is linked to the presence of some proteins produced by Spirulina platensis
Proteins of Nannochloropsis oculata increase α actin activity and immunity system defense, decreasing the mortality linked to Betanodavirus, an RNA non-enveloped virus from the Nodaviridae family causing the nerval necrosis of the humpback grouper [109]
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Viruses cause several human infections [4]; the so-called severe acute respiratory syndrome is caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV) One of these infections has recently dramatically risen to prominence because of its level of lethality along with the high degree of contagiousness of its etiological agent: severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2. Receptors, located on the surfaces of many human cells, allowing virus entry and replication, and the development of the disease [6]. This virus appeared at the end of 2019 in Wuhan (China), spread worldwide, and is considered a pandemic by the. We analyzed the antiviral effects of microalgae against some common human and animal viruses. We focused our attention on some possible effects against SARS-CoV-2
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