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Marine Drugs
Special Issues
Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae II
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Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae II

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (12 November 2021) | Viewed by 23038

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Leonel Pereira

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Guest Editor
Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,                

At this current point in human history (year 2020), global society faces a Herculean challenge in combating the pandemic of Covid-19. Presently, there is no vaccine for immunization against this virus, but various seaweeds have specific characteristics that may provide a glimpse into potential solutions to this global health problem in the near future, and may possibly arm us for any future such pandemics. Seaweeds are already used in many products and for different purposes, from food products to medicine. They are a natural resource that can provide several compounds with beneficial bioactivities such as antiviral, anti-cholesterol, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging effects, among others. The high variability of compounds synthetized by seaweed is an outcome of the adverse conditions to which they are exposed in their natural habitats.

Nowadays, all groups of macroalgae are gaining the attention of the scientific community because of the bioactive substances they produce. Several macroalgae products have exceptional properties with nutraceutical, pharmacological, and biomedical significance. The main compounds studied are polysaccharides, phenols, pigments, and fatty acids. Polysaccharides are the most exploited molecules, which are already widely used in various industries, and are, presently, entering into more advanced applications from a therapeutic point of view.

Prof. Dr. Leonel Pereira
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2908 KiB  
Article
Chondracanthus teedei var. lusitanicus: The Nutraceutical Potential of an Unexploited Marine Resource
by Diana Pacheco, João Cotas, Andreia Domingues, Sandrine Ressurreição, Kiril Bahcevandziev and Leonel Pereira
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(10), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19100570 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3184
Abstract
Presently, there is a high demand for nutritionally enhanced foods, so it is a current challenge to look at new raw food sources that can supplement beneficially the human diet. The nutritional profile and key secondary metabolites of red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) are gaining [...] Read more.
Presently, there is a high demand for nutritionally enhanced foods, so it is a current challenge to look at new raw food sources that can supplement beneficially the human diet. The nutritional profile and key secondary metabolites of red seaweeds (Rhodophyta) are gaining interest because of this challenge. In this context, the possible use of the red seaweed Chondracanthus teedei var. lusitanicus (Gigartinales) as a novel nutraceutical source was investigated. As a result, we highlight the high mineral content of this seaweed, representing 29.35 g 100 g−1 of its dry weight (DW). Despite the low levels of calcium and phosphorus (0.26 and 0.20 g 100 g−1 DW, respectively), this seaweed is an interesting source of nitrogen and potassium (2.13 and 2.29 g−1 DW, accordingly). Furthermore, the high content of carbohydrates (56.03 g 100 g−1 DW), which acts as dietary fibers, confers a low caloric content of this raw food source. Thus, this study demonstrates that C. teedei var. lusitanicus is in fact an unexploited potential resource with the capability to provide key minerals to the human diet with promising nutraceutical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae II)
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22 pages, 3931 KiB  
Article
A Sulfated Polysaccharide from Saccharina japonica Suppresses LPS-Induced Inflammation Both in a Macrophage Cell Model via Blocking MAPK/NF-κB Signal Pathways In Vitro and a Zebrafish Model of Embryos and Larvae In Vivo
by Shengnan Wang, Liying Ni, Xiaoting Fu, Delin Duan, Jiachao Xu and Xin Gao
Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(12), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18120593 - 26 Nov 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3625
Abstract
Inflammation is a complicated host-protective response to stimuli and toxic conditions, and is considered as a double-edged sword. A sulfated Saccharinajaponica polysaccharide (LJPS) with a sulfate content of 9.07% showed significant inhibitory effects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells [...] Read more.
Inflammation is a complicated host-protective response to stimuli and toxic conditions, and is considered as a double-edged sword. A sulfated Saccharinajaponica polysaccharide (LJPS) with a sulfate content of 9.07% showed significant inhibitory effects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells and zebrafish. Its chemical and structural properties were investigated via HPLC, GC, FTIR, and NMR spectroscopy. In vitro experiments demonstrated that LJPS significantly inhibited the generation of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) via the downregulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β production via the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathways in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, LJPS showed strong protective effects against LPS-induced inflammatory responses in zebrafish, increasing the survival rate, reducing the heart rate and yolk sac edema size, and inhibiting cell death and the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NO. Its convenience for large-scale production and significant anti-inflammatory activity indicated the potential application of LJPS in functional foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae II)
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13 pages, 920 KiB  
Article
Induction of Natural Defenses in Tomato Seedlings by Using Alginate and Oligoalginates Derivatives Extracted from Moroccan Brown Algae
by Meriem Aitouguinane, Soukaina Bouissil, Anouar Mouhoub, Halima Rchid, Imen Fendri, Slim Abdelkafi, Mohamed Didi Ould El-Hadj, Zakaria Boual, Pascal Dubessay, Christine Gardarin, Philippe Michaud, Zainab El Alaoui-Talibi, Cherkaoui El Modafar, Guillaume Pierre and Cédric Delattre
Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(10), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18100521 - 19 Oct 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3820
Abstract
Polysaccharides extracted from marine algae have attracted much attention due to their biotechnological applications, including therapeutics, cosmetics, and mainly in agriculture and horticulture as biostimulants, biofertilizers, and stimulators of the natural defenses of plants. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of alginate [...] Read more.
Polysaccharides extracted from marine algae have attracted much attention due to their biotechnological applications, including therapeutics, cosmetics, and mainly in agriculture and horticulture as biostimulants, biofertilizers, and stimulators of the natural defenses of plants. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of alginate isolated from Bifurcaria bifurcata from the Moroccan coast and oligoalginates derivatives to stimulate the natural defenses of tomato seedlings. Elicitation was carried out by the internodal injection of bioelicitor solutions. The elicitor capacities were evaluated by monitoring the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) as well as polyphenols content in the leaves located above the elicitation site for 5 days. Alginate and oligoalginates treatments triggered plant defense responses, which showed their capacity to significantly induce the PAL activity and phenolic compounds accumulation in the leaves of tomato seedlings. Elicitation by alginates and oligoalginates showed an intensive induction of PAL activity, increasing from 12 h of treatment and remaining at high levels throughout the period of treatment. The amount of polyphenols in the leaves was increased rapidly and strongly from 12 h of elicitation by both saccharide solutions, representing peaks value after 24 h of application. Oligoalginates exhibited an effective elicitor capacity in polyphenols accumulation compared to alginate polymers. The alginate and oligosaccharides derivatives revealed a similar elicitor capacity in PAL activity whereas the accumulation of phenolic compounds showed a differential effect. Polysaccharides extracted from the brown seaweed Bifurcaria bifurcate and oligosaccharides derivatives induced significantly the phenylpropanoid metabolism in tomato seedlings. These results contribute to the valorization of marine biomass as a potential bioresource for plant protection against phytopathogens in the context of eco-sustainable green technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae II)
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Review

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24 pages, 2400 KiB  
Review
The Seaweed Diet in Prevention and Treatment of the Neurodegenerative Diseases
by Leonel Pereira and Ana Valado
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(3), 128; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19030128 - 26 Feb 2021
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 6352
Abstract
Edible marine algae are rich in bioactive compounds and are, therefore, a source of bioavailable proteins, long chain polysaccharides that behave as low-calorie soluble fibers, metabolically necessary minerals, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants. Marine algae were used primarily as gelling agents and [...] Read more.
Edible marine algae are rich in bioactive compounds and are, therefore, a source of bioavailable proteins, long chain polysaccharides that behave as low-calorie soluble fibers, metabolically necessary minerals, vitamins, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants. Marine algae were used primarily as gelling agents and thickeners (phycocolloids) in food and pharmaceutical industries in the last century, but recent research has revealed their potential as a source of useful compounds for the pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetic industries. The green, red, and brown algae have been shown to have useful therapeutic properties in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson, Alzheimer’s, and Multiple Sclerosis, and other chronic diseases. In this review are listed and described the main components of a suitable diet for patients with these diseases. In addition, compounds derived from macroalgae and their neurophysiological activities are described. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae II)
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29 pages, 5024 KiB  
Review
Invasive Seaweeds in the Iberian Peninsula: A Contribution for Food Supply
by Diana Pacheco, Glacio Souza Araújo, João Cotas, Rui Gaspar, João M. Neto and Leonel Pereira
Mar. Drugs 2020, 18(11), 560; https://doi.org/10.3390/md18110560 - 16 Nov 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4863
Abstract
The introduction of exotic organisms in marine ecosystems can lead to economic and ecological losses. Globally, seaweeds represent a significant part of these non-indigenous species (NIS), with 407 introduced algal species. Furthermore, the presence of NIS seaweeds has been reported as a major [...] Read more.
The introduction of exotic organisms in marine ecosystems can lead to economic and ecological losses. Globally, seaweeds represent a significant part of these non-indigenous species (NIS), with 407 introduced algal species. Furthermore, the presence of NIS seaweeds has been reported as a major concern worldwide since the patterns of their potential invasion mechanisms and vectors are not yet fully understood. Currently, in the Iberian Peninsula, around 50 NIS seaweeds have been recorded. Some of these are also considered invasive due to their overgrowth characteristic and competition with other species. However, invasive seaweeds are suitable for industrial applications due to their high feedstock. Hence, seaweeds’ historical use in daily food diet, allied to research findings, showed that macroalgae are a source of nutrients and bioactive compounds with nutraceutical properties. The main goal of this review is to evaluate the records of NIS seaweeds in the Iberian Peninsula and critically analyze the potential of invasive seaweeds application in the food industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization of Bioactive Components in Edible Algae II)
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