Metabolites Of Algae Research Articles

Green Synthesis of CuO Nanoparticles from Macroalgae Ulva lactuca and Gracilaria verrucosa.

Macroalgae seaweeds such as Ulva lactuca and Gracilaria verrucosa cause problems on the northern coast of the Italian Adriatic Sea because their overabundance hinders the growth of cultivated clams, Rudatapes philippinarum. This study focused on the green synthesis of CuO nanoparticles from U. lactuca and G. verrucosa. The biosynthesized CuO NPs were successfully characterized using FTIR, XRD, HRTEM/EDX, and zeta potential. Nanoparticles from the two different algae species are essentially identical, with the same physical characteristics and almost the same antimicrobial activities. We have not investigated the cause of this identity, but it seems likely to arise from the reaction of Cu with the same algae metabolites in both species. The study demonstrates that it is possible to obtain useful products from these macroalgae through a green synthesis approach and that they should be considered as not just a cause of environmental and economic damage but also as a potential source of income.

Coral larval settlement induction using tissue-associated and exuded coralline algae metabolites and the identification of putative chemical cues.

Reef-building crustose coralline algae (CCA) are known to facilitate the settlement and metamorphosis of scleractinian coral larvae. In recent decades, CCA coverage has fallen globally and degrading environmental conditions continue to reduce coral survivorship, spurring new restoration interventions to rebuild coral reef health. In this study, naturally produced chemical compounds (metabolites) were collected from two pantropical CCA genera to isolate and classify those that induce coral settlement. In experiments using four ecologically important Caribbean coral species, we demonstrate the applicability of extracted, CCA-derived metabolites to improve larval settlement success in coral breeding and restoration efforts. Tissue-associated CCA metabolites induced settlement of one coral species, Orbicella faveolata, while metabolites exuded by CCA (exometabolites) induced settlement of three species: Acropora palmata, Colpophyllia natans and Orbicella faveolata. In a follow-up experiment, CCA exometabolites fractionated and preserved using two different extraction resins induced the same level of larval settlement as the unfractionated positive control exometabolites. The fractionated CCA exometabolite pools were characterized using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, yielding 145 distinct molecular subnetworks that were statistically defined as CCA-derived and could be classified into 10 broad chemical classes. Identifying these compounds can reveal their natural prevalence in coral reef habitats and facilitate the development of new applications to enhance larval settlement and the survival of coral juveniles.

High-throughput virtual screening of marine algae metabolites as high-affinity inhibitors of ISKNV major capsid protein: An analysis of in-silico models and DFT calculation to find novel drug molecules for fighting infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV)

Infectious Spleen and Kidney Necrosis Virus (ISKNV) is linked to severe infections that cause significant financial losses in global aquaculture. ISKNV enters the host cell through its major capsid protein (MCP), and the resulting infection can lead to mass mortality of fish. Even though several drugs and vaccines are at various stages of clinical testing, none are currently available. Thus, we sought to assess the potential of seaweed compounds to block viral entrance by inhibiting the MCP. The Seaweed Metabolite Database (1110 compounds) was assessed for potential antiviral activity against ISKNV using high throughput virtual screening. Forty compounds with docking scores of ≥8.0 kcal/mol were screened further. The inhibitory molecules BC012, BC014, BS032, and RC009 were predicted by the docking and MD techniques to bind the MCP protein significantly with binding affinities of −9.2, −9.2, −9.9, and −9.4 kcal/mol, respectively. Also, ADMET characteristics of the compounds indicated drug-likeness. According to this study, marine seaweed compounds may operate as viral entrance inhibitors. For their efficacy to be established, in-vitro and in-vivo testing is required.

Algal Biotechnology: Properties of Bioactive Derivatives and Pharmaceutical Applications

Continuous development of new pathologies and mutations together with the increment of drug resistance make the research of new treatments and therapies more urgent and essential. Among the renewable resources, algae and related bioactive compounds are strongly considered. Algae are eukaryotic organisms characterised by high therapeutic potential. Indeed, because of biotic and abiotic factors, algae produce a wide variety of metabolites, which are useful for treating dysfunctions and diseases. The most produced metabolites are proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, polyphenols, and pigments, which find several applications in daily life, as indicated in Fig. 1. The different classes of metabolites are relevant to the species they belong to; they are also divided into groups according to their medical properties. Over the years, advantages and performances of algae derivatives have been demonstrated by a growing number of analyses and researches, especially in recent years. Among the various properties of algae metabolites, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant and antidiabetic are the most promising. Pigments (e.g. fucoxanthin) and polyphenols are the main compounds with anti-inflammatory activity; the latter also show antiviral, antidiabetic and antibacterial effects. Other compounds with antidiabetic activity are some xanthophylls and some polysaccharides (e.g. fucoidan and alginate). Among the antioxidant metabolites of algae, the most useful are flavonoids (i.e. polyphenols), carotenoids, pigments, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Fatty acids show antibacterial ability, while carrageenans and other polysaccharides show both antibacterial and antiviral effects. Supporting algal research is a valid strategy to improve ongoing trials, expand or confirm obtained results, discover and include new molecules in biotechnology applications with the aim to introduce novel medical and pharmacological uses in modern medicine. A typical example is related to diabetes mellitus, which is a disease in constant growth. Nowadays, numerous trials are ongoing to develop innovative and more efficient treatments and several algae are analysed with respect to this pathology. Indeed, some algal bioactive compounds, in particular polyphenol derivatives, polysaccharides and pigments, have antidiabetic properties; these metabolites inhibit the enzymes α-glucosidase, α-amylase and aldose reductase, reduce reactive oxygen species, decrease lipid peroxidation and interfere on metabolic pathways. The results are decrement of blood glucose levels and increment of insulin values, which are critical in diabetic patients.

The Influence of Host Specificity and Temperature on Bacterial Communities Associated with Sargassum (Phaeophyceae) Species.

Host-related microbiota are critically important for the adaptation/acclimation of hosts to changing environments, but how environmental factors andhost characteristics shape the microbial communities remains largely unknown. We investigated the effects of temperature on habitat-forming macroalgae and their associated bacterial communities. Three Sargassum species (S. horneri, S.fusiforme, and S. thunbergii) and seawater samples were sampled in Gouqi Island, China, and these macroalgal samples were incubated at different temperatures (10, 20, and 27°C) for 7 d. Bacterial communities were identified from the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions. The algae-associated bacterial communities of the field samples were significantly different from seawater, implying host specificity. During laboratory incubation, decreased physiological status (photosynthetic rate and oxidative stress response) was detected for all the species at 10°C, especially with regard to S. horneri and S. fusiforme. For each host, associated bacterial communities at 20 and 27°C clustered closely, and these were separated from samples at 10°C based on constrained PCoA analyses. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance revealed that algae-associated bacterial communities were more affected by host species (23.3%) than by temperature (2.48%) during laboratory incubation. The changes in bacterial community composition may be influenced by algae metabolites, which should be tested in a future study. These results further contribute to our understanding of algal microbiome changes in response to environmental changes.

Algae Metabolites as an Alternative in Prevention and Treatment of Skin Problems Associated with Solar Radiation and Conventional Photo-protection

The histological structure and biochemistry of the skin is affected by solar radiation having adverse effects ranging from sunburns, premature aging that includes wrinkles, spots, dryness, and loss of collagen to cancer development. The skin has defense mechanisms to prevent damage caused by radiation, but when radiation exposure is excessive these mechanisms are not strong enough to protect the skin. The use of sunscreen is the most common practice of photo- protection. The active ingredients of these cosmetic protective formulations are generally from synthetic origin and have presented several drawbacks at the level of photo-stability, systemic absorption and can generate contact and photo-contact dermatitis. This review illustrates skin solar radiation problems, common sunscreen ingredients limitation and mentions how algae can be an alternative according to studies that have evaluated the photo-protective potential of extracts and compounds isolated by different techniques.

Evaluation of ultrasound as a preventative algae-controlling strategy: Degradation behaviors and character variations of algal organic matter components during sonication at different frequency ranges

To date, the removal of harmful algae and specific algae metabolites (e.g., microcystins, odorous compounds and phycocyanin) by ultrasound has been confirmed. However, the effects of ultrasound on algal organic matter (AOM) variation have not been systematically investigated, which is of great necessity for the management of water safety and the practical application of ultrasound for algae control. This study investigated the effects of ultrasound at three typical frequencies on the degradation behaviors and characters of AOM, including their fluorescence properties, molecular weight and especially sample toxicity. The results showed effective growth inhibition of algae over 7 days after ultrasonic treatment at frequencies of 29.4, 470 and 780 kHz; however, extracellular AOM increased by 1.4%–147.2%, −2.1%–82.5% and 0.9%–90.8%, respectively. High-frequency ultrasound (470 and 780 kHz) had significantly better AOM degradation. The fluorescence pseudo first-order rate constant refers to the decrease in fluorescence and implicates AOM degradation. The rate constants of AOM components were 0.00178–0.00295, 0.00880–0.01763 and 0.00670–0.01319 for the 29.4, 470 and 780 kHz treatments (0.059 W/mL), respectively. Low-frequency sonication was dominated by limited pyrolysis and supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) and mainly caused non-fracture damage. In addition to pyrolysis and SCWO, high-frequency sonication included conspicuous hydroxyl radical oxidation that accounted for more than 60% of the degradation. During high-frequency sonication, some AOM (~25.1 kDa) was degraded into smaller products (0.8–2.0 kDa), and the degradation of the humic-like components was greater than that of the protein-like components. Moreover, high-frequency sonication caused an evident decrease in the toxicity of AOM. This study indicates that high-frequency ultrasound was a promising algae-controlling strategy with respect to effectiveness and safety.

Pathogen removal in high-rate algae pond: state of the art and opportunities

High-rate algae ponds (HRAPs) are wastewater treatment systems that enable combining cost-efficient secondary treatment at small scale with the production of a harvestable biomass for subsequent valorisation (e.g. biofuel). However, there is still limited data on pathogen removal during long-term HRAP operation with real effluents. This critical review evaluates the potential significance of mechanisms driving pathogen removal in classical wastewater ponds in light of the specific environmental conditions occurring in HRAPs. We thus establish that the presence of algae (at high cell density) increases sunlight attenuation in HRAP and this attenuation negatively impacts sunlight-mediated pathogen removal. However, mixing may counteract the negative effect of light attenuation by increasing the frequency of pathogen exposure to high light intensity near the culture surface in HRAPs. The magnitude of sunlight-mediated pathogen removal is also likely increased at high pH and dissolved oxygen concentrations, two conditions frequently co-occurring in HRAPs harbouring intense algal activity. Exposure to high pH and toxic algae metabolites may further enhance pathogen decay in HRAPs but these mechanisms are still poorly understood. Finally, predation may be significant, but little is known about the quantitative impact of this mechanism in classical ponds and HRAPs. Overall, and with the exception of settling, all pathogen removal mechanisms known to occur in maturation ponds should remain significant in HRAPs. While this pathogen removal ability has been verified in a few studies, further research must now seek to develop a better mechanistic understanding based on the study of real systems.

Chemical space and diversity of seaweed metabolite database (SWMD): A cheminformatics study

Seaweeds have attracted attention in the past decade as a biological source of highly diverse secondary metabolites with great potential in the industrial and pharmaceutical sciences. Herein, we represent a comprehensive cheminformatics study to compare the chemical diversity of seaweed metabolites based on their taxonomic source. Seaweed Metabolite Database (SWMD) was utilized in this study. The compounds were manually categorized into three datasets, namely red algae (Rhodophyta, n = 645), brown algae (Phaeophyta, n = 220), and green algae (Chlorophyta, n = 32). The compounds in each dataset were curated to generate six chemical descriptors of pharmaceutical interest for each molecule, which were later used to visualize the chemical space of these metabolites by principal component analysis. Scaffolds were generated by removing side chains and keeping the core part of each molecule. Scaffold diversity among the tested datasets was quantified using Cyclic System Retrieval Curves. Green algae metabolites in SWMD possessed the highest scaffold diversity followed by brown and red algae metabolites, respectively. Three structural binary fingerprints, including ECFP_4, MACCS keys, and PubChem were computed indicating that the red algae metabolites had the highest fingerprint diversity followed by the green and brown algae metabolites respectively. Finally, Consensus Diversity Plots were generated to assess the global diversity considering both scaffold and fingerprint diversity. It was concluded that green algae metabolites in the SWMD are the most diverse regarding chemical descriptors of pharmaceutical relevance and scaffolds. While red algae possess the highest fingerprint diversity.

Algae Metabolites in Cosmeceutical: An Overview of Current Applications and Challenges.

Cosmetics are widely used by people around the world to protect the skin from external stimuli. Consumer preference towards natural cosmetic products has increased as the synthetic cosmetic products caused adverse side effects and resulted in low absorption rate due to the chemicals’ larger molecular size. The cosmetic industry uses the term “cosmeceutical”, referring to a cosmetic product that is claimed to have medicinal or drug-like benefits. Marine algae have gained tremendous attention in cosmeceuticals. They are one of the richest marine resources considered safe and possessed negligible cytotoxicity effects on humans. Marine algae are rich in bioactive substances that have shown to exhibit strong benefits to the skin, particularly in overcoming rashes, pigmentation, aging, and cancer. The current review provides a detailed survey of the literature on cosmeceutical potentials and applications of algae as skin whitening, anti-aging, anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, and antimicrobial agents. The biological functions of algae and the underlying mechanisms of all these activities are included in this review. In addition, the challenges of using algae in cosmeceutical applications, such as the effectiveness of different extraction methods and processing, quality assurance, and regulations concerning extracts of algae in this sector were also discussed.

RETRACTED: Simple and sensitive molecularly imprinted polymer-MPA capped Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots-based phosphorescence probe for cyanotoxins determination in algae metabolites

Abstract This paper aimed to develop a simple method for detection and quantification of cylindrospermopsin (CYN) in the water sample. The novel biosensor was based on molecular imprinted Mn-doped ZnS quantum dots. Two fragments which mimicked the partial structure of CYN were carefully selected to synthesize the molecularly imprinted 3-mercaptopropionic acid-capped Mn-ZnS quantum dots (MPA-MnZnS-QDs-MIPs). As the two fragment imprinted sites could enhance the rebinding of CYN into them and modulated Mn-ZnS QDs’ selective aggregation in MPA-MnZnS-QDs-MIPs. Hence, the enhanced room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) response was observed as the MPA-MnZnS-QDs-MIPs interacted with CYN in the water sample. A good linear relationship with the concentration of CYN in the range of 30–320 μg L−1 with a detection limit of 24 μg L−1 was demonstrated by the enhanced phosphorescence intensity ratio ΔP/P0. And our detection method exhibited higher selectivity for CYN than the two partial fragments. Also, there was no interference on the detection system when the competitors were present in the algae culture samples. The method presented required minimal expertise and enabled fast and inexpensive monitoring of the water toxins.

Physiological effects of nitrogen deficiency and recovery on the macroalga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta).

Algal metabolites are the most promising feedstocks for bio-energy production. Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis seems to be a good candidate red alga for polysaccharide production, especially relating to the agar production industry. Nitrogen deficiency is an efficient environmental pressure used to increase the accumulation of metabolites in algae. However, there are no studies on the physiological effects of G.lemaneiformis in response to nitrogen deficiency and its subsequent recovery. Here we integrated physiological data with molecular studies to explore the response strategy of G.lemaneiformis under nitrogen deficiency and recovery. Physiological measurements indicated that amino acids and protein biosynthesis were decreased, while endogenous NH4+ and soluble polysaccharides levels were increased under nitrogen stress. The expression of key genes involved in these pathways further suggested that G.lemaneiformis responded to nitrogen stress through up-regulation or down-regulation of genes related to nitrogen metabolism, and increased levels of endogenous NH4+ to complement the deficiency of exogenous nitrogen. Consistent with the highest accumulation of soluble polysaccharides, the gene encoding UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, a molecular marker used to evaluate agar content, was dramatically up-regulated more than 4-fold compared to the relative expression of actin after 4d of nitrogen recovery. The present data provide important information on the mechanisms of nutrient balance in macroalgae.

Marine Algae Metabolites as Promising Therapeutics for the Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS.

This review presents an analysis of works devoted to the anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity of algae metabolites—sulfated polysaccharides (fucoidans, carrageenans), lectins, laminarans, and polyphenols. Despite the presence of a significant number of antiretroviral drugs, the development of new therapeutic and prophylactic agents against this infection remains very urgent problem. This is due to the variability of HIV, the absence of an animal model (except monkeys) and natural immunity to this virus and the toxicity of therapeutic agents and their high cost. In this regard, the need for new therapeutic approaches and broad-spectrum drugs, which in addition to antiviral effects can have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects, and to which the minimum resistance of HIV strains would be formed. These requirements meet the biologically active substances of marine algae. The results of experimental and clinical studies conducted in vitro and in vivo are presented, and the issues of the anti-HIV activity of these compounds are considered depending on their structural features. On the whole, the presented data prove the high efficiency of seaweed metabolites and justify the possibility of their use as a potential basis for the development of new drugs with a wide spectrum of activity.

Use of an integrated metabolomics platform for mechanistic investigations of three commonly used algaecides on cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa.

Algal blooms are a global environmental and public health problem. Copper Sulfate (CuSO4), Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2) and Sodium Carbonate Peroxide (SCP) are commonly used algaecides for algal bloom control. However, their efficacy and mechanisms of interaction with algae have not been well studied. This study aimed to compare their capability, and concurrently elucidate the metabolic responses of a common cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa. Algal responses were measured by cell density, chlorophyll a, toxin release and an integrated GC- and LC- Mass Spectrometry-Time of Flight metabolomics platform. CuSO4 was observed to kill the algae cells rapidly at relative low concentration, compared with the other two algaecides. However, it led to severe secondary contamination, with substantial release of various microcystins. Metabolomics data showed that a total of 32 metabolites were significantly changed compared with the controls. Most of the metabolites identified in CuSO4 treated algae were significantly reduced, whereas metabolites in algae treated with H2O2 and SCP were found to increase, and were of similar types. Although most of the metabolites identified for the three algaecides are associated to oxidative stress, the pathways affected appear to be different.

InsideHelicobacter pylori: A Serious Threat to Humans

Helicobacter pylori is a close relative of Campylobacter species, with the ability to colonize the human gastrointestinal tract. This gastric pathogen is a flagellated, Gram-negative bacterium. Chronic gastritis, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, duodenal ulcer, and gastric ulcer are the outcomes of persistent infection with this pathogen. Recent studies have shown a direct relationship between H. pylori and development of gastric adenocarcinoma. A 7- to 14-day course of broad-spectrum antibiotics is required for the elimination of H. pylori. Treatment failure due to chromosomally encoded antibiotic resistance is increasing rapidly, which underlines the importance of new regimens against this pathogen. The vast diversity of natural compounds in living microorganisms such as algae, as well as various dietary components in herbs and foods, provides a new opportunity for the establishment of therapeutic compounds. The majority of intra- and extracellular metabolites in algae have potent inhibitory effects on H. pylori, leading to the development of novel therapeutic agents for gastric ulcer. Application of bioinformatics-based tools has encouraged the scientific community to find novel targets and have led to the development of in silico drugs against the pathogenic elements of H. pylori. Further research on metabolite-based therapeutic agents with the aid of modern tools can be a milestone in the management of the emerging risk of gastric ulcer.

Growth and biochemical variability of complete and lipid extracted Chlorella species (application for Artemia franciscana feeding)

This work aims at culturing different Chlorella species, monitoring growth and estimating the nutritional quality for further application of complete cells and lipid extracted biomass in Artemia franciscana feeding. We conducted experiments using C. marina, C. salina, C. capsulata, C. stigmatophora and C. vulgaris that were batch cultured for 14 days. C. salina showed the maximal count on the sixth day while C. marina recorded the maximum growth rate (2 ± 0.177). However, C. capsulata and C. stigmatophora recorded the minimum rate (1.5 ± 0.11). Analyses of algal biomass showed that C. capsulata contains maximal lipids and carbohydrates, but the minimal protein (22.8 ± 1.4 %). However, C. salina contained the highest protein (33.1 ± 1.4 %). After oil extraction, there were no significant losses in the other biochemical constituents of the studied Chlorella species. Considering algae metabolites, saturated fatty acids were the main constituent in the fatty acids methyl esters (FAMEs). Palmitic and stearic acids were dominant. Amino acid pools of the experimental marine Chlorella species were found to contain lysine, methionine and histidine; but were deficient in cysteine. The present investigation showed that lipids, proteins and protein to lipid ratio of A. franciscana napulli enriched with mixed cells of Chlorella species were enhanced by (22 %); 1.96 and 1.33 folds, respectively. Furthermore, the growth and survival of A. franciscana showed significant increases when fed on lipid extracted algae residuals, especially that of a mixed diet; which is considered as an important achievement and confirms that the residual algae biomass can be significantly used for aquaculture feeding.

赤潮过程中“藻-菌”关系的研究进展

微生物对促进海洋物质循环，维持水生环境的生态平衡具有重要作用。在赤潮事件中，基于微生物（尤其是细菌）的多样性和重要性，它们与藻类之间的相互关系成为了研究的热点。过去20年里，人们从不同角度对“藻-菌”间的关系进行了探索，包括物理学过程、生物学过程、环境过程以及化学过程。就化学过程而言，它作为一种较早出现的技术，在以往的研究中带给人们许多认识藻菌关系的方法。随着学科的渗透，化学法有了拓展与延伸，为人们认识藻菌关系带来了新的契机。从化学生态学领域来梳理“藻．菌”关系中涉及的现象和行为，包括菌对藻的有益面、菌对藻的有害面、以及藻类应答细菌行为的化学途径；并从信号语言（群体感应、化感作用）的角度来阐释两者之间的互生或克生关系。通过文献综述的方式来解读藻菌关系的互作过程和机理，为认识赤潮的发生和防控方法提供借鉴。

UV-Induced Formation of Bromophenols from Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

Bromophenols (BPs) are both man-made industrial compounds and naturally produced secondary metabolites of algae and sponges. This study explored the formation of BPs by UV irradiation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Simulated sunlight (10-80 min) and natural sunlight irradiations (5 days) of BDE-153, BDE-154, BDE-183, BDE-196, and technical octabromodiphenyl ether (DE-79) generated hydrodebrominated PBDEs along with up to 0.7-4 mass % BPs. UV absorption spectra were recorded to show that the para-substituted PBDEs and BPs are those predominately transformed because this structural feature causes a significant bathochromic shift of λmax to higher wavelength. A decrease of higher brominated BPs in favor of lower brominated BPs was observed with time. All possible substitution patterns on the BPs formed by the cleavage of the parent PBDEs and respective hydrodebromination products were observed. The main di- and tribromophenols detected were 2,4-diBP > 2,5-diBP and 2,4,6-triBP > 2,4,5-triBP on average. The irradiation conditions were similar to real-world scenarios and emphasized the environmental relevance of these photolysis products of PBDEs. The meta-substituted BPs can be used as markers to distinguish photolytic PBDE transformation products from naturally produced BPs, which exclusively feature bromo-substitutents in ortho- and para-positions.

Epoxidation of bromoallenes connects red algae metabolites by an intersecting bromoallene oxide – Favorskii manifold

DMDO epoxidation of bromoallenes gives directly α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acids under the reaction conditions. Calculated (ωB97XD/6-311G(d,p)/SCRF = acetone) potential energy surfaces and (2)H- and (13)C-labeling experiments are consistent with bromoallene oxide intermediates which spontaneously rearrange via a bromocyclopropanone in an intersecting bromoallene oxide - Favorskii manifold.

Enhanced Antitumoral Activity of Extracts Derived from Cultured Udotea flabellum (Chlorophyta)

Very few studies have been performed to evaluate the effect of culture conditions on the production or activity of active metabolites in algae. Previous studies suggest that the synthesis of bioactive compounds is strongly influenced by irradiance level. To investigate whether the antiproliferative activity of Udotea flabellum extracts is modified after cultivation, this green alga was cultured under four photon flux densities (PFD) for 30 days. After 10, 20, and 30 days, algae were extracted with dichloromethane: methanol and screened for antiproliferative activity against four human cancer cell lines (laryngeal—Hep-2, cervix—HeLa, cervix squamous—SiHa and nasopharynx—KB) by SRB assay. Lipid and phenol content were evaluated by standardized methods on algae organic extracts. After 10 days of cultivation, organic U. flabellum extracts showed a significant increase in antiproliferative activity on Hela and SiHa cells when compared to noncultured algae extracts. Extracts obtained after 10 and 20 days of culture were active on KB and Hep-2 cells. Total phenol and polyunsaturated fatty acid content in organic extracts changed with cultivation time but not by irradiance treatment. Extracts from U. flabellum obtained after 10 and 20 days of culture have been selected for fractionation and isolation of active compounds.