Review Articles
Vol. 98 No. 2 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2025.13399
Bioactive components of red seaweeds: A promising source for therapeutic uses in the future
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 18 November 2024
Accepted: 23 April 2025
Published: 3 July 2025
Accepted: 23 April 2025
Published: 3 July 2025
318
Views
253
Downloads
Seaweeds grow and reproduce in intertidal and subtidal regions where photosynthesis is possible due to the available lighting. Marine macroalgae are classified into three main groups according to their pigment content: red algae (Rhodophyceae), green algae (Chlorophyceae), and brown algae (Phaeophyceae). They are becoming a valuable resource and are distinguished by their rapid growth capacity with high nutritional value. Red algae contain a wide variety of biochemical substances, including: phenolics, polysaccharides, proteins, bromophenols, pigments, low amounts of fatty acids, and they are essentially the only species capable of producing long-chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs), vitamins specially B12, minerals. Those compounds have anti-tumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Additionally, seaweeds have an excellent nutritional profile highly supplying macro and micro nutrients; thus, they can be used as food in diets. They can also be an essential source of novel pharmaceutical and therapeutic compounds. This review summarizes the potential of the bioactive substances obtained from diverse red seaweeds around the world, which are expected to be promising components for application in the medical industry. The pharmaceutical industry could use red seaweeds to prevent or treat several illnesses, including: cancer, obesity, and other chronic diseases, as their medicinal benefits are considerably more intriguing than their purely nutritional advantages. Novel natural drugs developed from algae could act as alternatives for artificial substances in the future.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
Álvarez-Viñas M, Flórez-Fernández N, Torres MD, Domínguez H. Successful approaches for a red Seaweed biorefinery. Mar Drugs 2019;17:620. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md17110620
Zhang L, Liao W, Huang Y, et al. Global seaweed farming and processing in the past 20 years. Food Prod Process Nutr 2022;4:23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43014-022-00103-2
Guiry MD. How many species of algae are there? A reprise. Four kingdoms, 14 phyla, 63 classes and still growing. J Phycol 2024;60:214–28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jpy.13431
Xie C, Lee ZJ, Ye S, et al. A Review on seaweeds and seaweed-derived polysaccharides: Nutrition, chemistry, bioactivities, and applications. Food Res Int 2024;40:1312–47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/87559129.2023.2212055
Shih CC, Hwang HR, Chang CI, et al. Anti-Inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of ethyl acetate fraction of an edible red macroalgae Sarcodia ceylanica. IJMS 2017;18:2437. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms18112437
Carpena M, Garcia-Perez P, Garcia-Oliveira P, et al. Biological properties and potential of compounds extracted from red seaweeds. Phytochem Rev 2022;22:1509–40 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-022-09826-z
Borg M, Krueger‐Hadfield SA, Destombe C, et al. Red macroalgae in the genomic era. New Phytologist 2023;240:471–88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19211
Cian R, Drago S, de Medina F, Martínez-Augustin O. Proteins and carbohydrates from red Seaweeds: evidence for beneficial effects on gut function and microbiota. Mar Drugs 2015;13:5358-83. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md13085358
Food and Agriculture Organisation. La situation mondiale de la pêche et de l'aquaculture [The global situation of fisheries and aquaculture]. FAO 2022.
Campo VL, Kawano DF, Silva DB da, Carvalho I. Carrageenans: Biological properties, chemical modifications and structural analysis. Carbohydr Polym 2009;77:167–80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2009.01.020
Vieira EF, Soares C, Machado S, et al. Seaweeds from the Portuguese coast as a source of proteinaceous material: Total and free amino acid composition profile. Food Chem 2018;269:264–75. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.06.145
Menaa F, Wijesinghe PAUI, Thiripuranathar G, et al. Ecological and industrial implications of dynamic seaweed-associated microbiota interactions. Mar Drugs 2020;18:641. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md18120641
Hentati F, Tounsi L, Djomdi D, et al. Bioactive polysaccharides from seaweeds. Molecules 2020;25:3152. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25143152
Mendes M, Cotas J, Pacheco D, et al. Red seaweed (Rhodophyta) phycocolloids: A road from the species to the industry application. Mar Drugs 2024;22:432. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md22100432
Torres MD, Flórez-Fernández N, Domínguez H. Integral utilization of red seaweed for bioactive production. Mar Drugs 2019;17:314. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md17060314
Vidyashree JS, Shetti PP, Ghagane SC. Seaweeds as a potential resource in diabetes management: a review. Futur J Pharm Sci 2024;10:12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s43094-024-00583-8
Tanna B, Choudhary B, Mishra A. Metabolite profiling, antioxidant, scavenging and anti-proliferative activities of selected tropical green seaweeds reveal the nutraceutical potential of Caulerpa spp. Algal Research 2018;36:96–105. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2018.10.019
Rawiwan P, Peng Y, Paramayuda IGPB, Quek SY. Red seaweed: A promising alternative protein source for global food sustainability. Trends Food Sci Technol 2022;123:37–56. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2022.03.003
Shannon E, Abu-Ghannam N. Seaweeds as nutraceuticals for health and nutrition. Phycologia 2019 58:563–77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00318884.2019.1640533
Cotas J, Leandro A, Pacheco D, et al. A Comprehensive review of the nutraceutical and therapeutic applications of red seaweeds (Rhodophyta). Life 2020;10:19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/life10030019
Øverland M, Mydland LT, Skrede A. Marine macroalgae as sources of protein and bioactive compounds in feed for monogastric animals. J Sci Food Agric 2019;99:13–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.9143
Fontenelle TPC, Lima GC, Mesquita JX, et al. Lectin obtained from the red seaweed Bryothamnion triquetrum: Secondary structure and anti-inflammatory activity in mice. Int J Biol Macromol 2018;112:1122–30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.02.058
MacArtain P, Gill CIR, Brooks M, et al. Nutritional value of edible seaweeds. Nutr Rev 2007;651:535–43. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1301/nr.2007.dec.535-543
Klnc B, Cirik S, Turan G, et al. Seaweeds for food and industrial applications. In: Muzzalupo I, editor. Food Industry. InTech; 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5772/53172
Gullón B, Gagaoua M, Barba FJ, et al. Seaweeds as promising resource of bioactive compounds: Overview of novel extraction strategies and design of tailored meat products. Trends Food Sci Technol 2020;100:1–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2020.03.039
Martínez–Hernández GB, Castillejo N, Carrión–Monteagudo M, et al. Nutritional and bioactive compounds of commercialized algae powders used as food supplements. Food Sci Technol Int 2018;24:172–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1082013217740000
Kendel M, Wielgosz-Collin G, Bertrand S, et al. Lipid composition, fatty acids and sterols in the seaweeds Ulva armoricana, and Solieria chordalis from Brittany (France): An analysis from nutritional, chemotaxonomic, and antiproliferative activity perspectives. Mar Drugs 2015;13:5606–28. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md13095606
Narayan B, Kumar CS, Sashima T, et al. Composition, functionality and potential applications of seaweed lipids. Seaweeds as a source of nutritionally beneficial compounds In: Hou CT, Shaw J-F, eds. Biocatalysis and Bioenergy. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; 2008. pp 463–90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470385869.ch26
Ruperez P. Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds. Food Chem 2002;79:23–6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(02)00171-1
Circuncisão A, Catarino M, Cardoso S, Silva A. Minerals from macroalgae origin: Health benefits and risks for consumers. Mar Drugs 2018;16:400. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md16110400
Cotas J, Leandro A, Monteiro P, et al. Seaweed phenolics: From extraction to applications. Mar Drugs 2020;18:384. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md18080384
Freile-Pelegrín Y, Robledo D. Bioactive phenolic compounds from algae. John Wiley & Sons Ltd; 2013 pp. 113–29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118412893.ch6
Lalegerie F, Lajili S, Bedoux G, et al. Photo-protective compounds in red macroalgae from Brittany: Considerable diversity in mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). Mar Environ Res 2019;147:37–48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2019.04.001
Christaki E, Bonos E, Giannenas I, Florou-Paneri P. Functional properties of carotenoids originating from algae: Functional properties of algal carotenoids. J Sci Food Agric 2013;93:5–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.5902
Gheda SF, El-Adawi HI, El-Deeb NM. Antiviral profile of brown and red seaweed polysaccharides against hepatitis C virus. Iran J Pharm Res 2016;15:483–91.
Lu YA, Lee HG, Li X, et al. Anti-obesity effects of red seaweed, Plocamium telfairiae, in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet. Food Funct 2020;11:2299–308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C9FO02924A
Furuta T, Miyabe Y, Yasui H, et al . Angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from phycobiliproteins of dulse Palmaria palmata. Mar Drugs 2016;14:32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md14020032
Ragunathan V, Pandurangan J, Ramakrishnan T. Gas Chromatography-Mass spectrometry analysis of methanol extracts from marine red seaweed Gracilaria corticata. Pharmacogn J 2019;11:547–54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5530/pj.2019.11.87
Deepa S, Bhuvana B, Hemamalini S, et al. Therapeutic potential and pharmacological significance of the marine algae Gracilaria corticata. Pharm Biol Eval 2017;4:68. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26510/2394-0859.pbe.2017.11
Rocha CP, Pacheco D, Cotas J, et al. Seaweeds as valuable sources of essential fatty acids for human nutrition. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:4968. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094968
Ganesan AR, Tiwari U, Rajauria G. Seaweed nutraceuticals and their therapeutic role in disease prevention. Food Sci Hum Wellness 2019;8:252–63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2019.08.001
Guihéneuf F, Gietl A, Stengel DB. Temporal and spatial variability of mycosporine-like amino acids and pigments in three edible red seaweeds from western Ireland. J Appl Phycol 2018;30:2573–86. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-018-1436-z
Vinod K. Dhargalkar V. Uses of seaweeds in the Indian diet for sustenance and well-being. science and culture.2014;80:7-8
Punampalam R, Khoo KS, Sit NW. Evaluation of antioxidant properties of phycobiliproteins and phenolic compounds extracted from Bangia atropurpurea. Mal J Fund Appl Sci 2018;14:289–97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11113/mjfas.v14n2.1096
Silva LMCM, Lima V, Holanda ML, et al. Antinociceptive and Anti-inflammatory activities of lectin from marine red alga Pterocladiella capillacea. Biol Pharm Bull 2010;33:830–5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1248/bpb.33.830
Abreu T, Ribeiro N, Chaves H, et al. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of the lectin from marine red alga Solieria filiformis. Planta Med 2016;82:596–605. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0042-101762
Coura CO, Souza RB, Rodrigues JAG, et al. Mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory action of a polysulfated fraction from Gracilaria cornea in rats. PLoS ONE 2015;10:119319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0119319
Gheda S, El-Sheekh M, Abou-Zeid A. In vitro anticancer activity of polysaccharide extracted from red alga Jania rubens against breast and colon cancer cell lines. Asian Pac J Trop Med 2018;11:583. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1995-7645.244523
Premarathna AD, Ahmed TAE, Rjabovs V, et al. Immunomodulation by xylan and carrageenan-type polysaccharides from red seaweeds: Anti-inflammatory, wound healing, cytoprotective, and anticoagulant activities. Int J Biol Macromol 2024;260:129433. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129433
Makkar F, Chakraborty K. Antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory potential of sulphated polygalactans from red seaweeds Kappaphycus alvarezii and Gracilaria opuntia. Int J Food Prop 2017;20:1326–37. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2016.1209216
Lee HG, Lu YA, Li X, et al. Anti-Obesity effects of Grateloupia elliptica, a red seaweed, in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity via suppression of adipogenic factors in white adipose tissue and increased thermogenic factors in brown adipose tissue. Nutrients 2020;12:308. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020308
Kang MC, Kang N, Ko SC, et al. Anti-obesity effects of seaweeds of Jeju Island on the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and obese mice fed a high-fat diet. Food Chem Toxicol 2016;90:36–44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2016.01.023
Smyrniotopoulos V, Vagias C, Bruyère C, et al. Structure and in vitro antitumor activity evaluation of brominated diterpenes from the red alga Sphaerococcus coronopifolius. Bioorg Med Chem 2010;18:1321–30. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2009.12.025
Cotas J, Marques V, Afonso MB, et al. Antitumour potential of Gigartina pistillata carrageenans against colorectal cancer stem cell-enriched tumourspheres. Mar Drugs 2020;18:50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md18010050
Kim E, Cui J, Kang I, et al . Potential antidiabetic effects of seaweed extracts by upregulating glucose utilization and alleviating inflammation in C2C12 myotubes. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:1367. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18031367
How to Cite
Bioactive components of red seaweeds: A promising source for therapeutic uses in the future. (2025). Journal of Biological Research - Bollettino Della Società Italiana Di Biologia Sperimentale, 98(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2025.13399
Copyright (c) 2025 the Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.