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Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications

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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2018) | Viewed by 57765

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Prof. Dr. Natália Cruz-Martins

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Guest Editor

1. Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
2. Institute for Research and Inovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal
Interests: evidence-based medicine; phytochemistry; phytopharmacology; drug discovery; natural products biochemistry; bioactive molecules; functional foods; nutraceuticals; fungal and bacterial infections; resistance to antimicrobials
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Dr. Laurent Vandanjon

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Faculty of Sciences and Sciences of the Engineer, LBCM Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology and Chemistry, University of Southern Brittany, Vannes, France
Interests: marine biotechnology; algal biorefinery; water and seawater treatment; separation and extraction processes; isolation of bioactive molecules; nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Dear Colleagues,

Much has been done in the world of terrestrial plants and their correspondent benefits. Today, we have high-tech tools to exploit the wealth of marine plants and to enjoy their extraordinary health and cosmetics attributes.

Algae secrete anti-stress, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory molecules, in addition to improving the synthesis of functional proteins, microcirculation, and so on.

Biocompatibility is one of the secrets of marine active ingredients’ effectiveness, which almost never lead to signs of intolerance (except for iodine) and in which the mechanism of action is often similar to that of the human body.

This Special Issue of Molecules welcomes original research and reviews on:

1) Extraction, purification and identification of bioactive substances from marine algae used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products, as well as complementary foods.

2) Biorefining processes (algorefinery) aiming a complete algae compounds valorization for environmental benefits.

3) Concentration of bioavailable seawater nutrients (trace elements, vitamins, mineral ions, etc.)

4) Health-related effects and cosmetic applications of molecules extracted from extremophiles seaside plants (halophilic)

Natália Martins and Laurent Vandanjon

Guest Editors

Dr. Natália Martins
Dr. Laurent Vandanjon
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Macroalgae
Halophilic plants
Seawater
Marine bioactive molecules.

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 644 KiB

Open AccessArticle

UV Photoprotection, Cytotoxicity and Immunology Capacity of Red Algae Extracts

by Félix Álvarez-Gómez, Nathalie Korbee, Virginia Casas-Arrojo, Roberto T. Abdala-Díaz and Félix L. Figueroa

Molecules 2019, 24(2), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24020341 - 18 Jan 2019

Cited by 50 | Viewed by 6604

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the potential use of algal extracts in cosmeceuticals, including factors related to biosecurity. The aqueous crude extracts of Hydropuntia cornea and Gracilariopsis longissima showed a good photoprotective capacity (Sun Protection Factor, SPF) due to, among other reasons, the presence of five types of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) detected by high pressure liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) (Palythine, Asterina-330, Shinorine, Porphyra-334, and Palythinol). The toxicity of the extracts was evaluated by the MTT assay, which is based on the metabolic reduction of MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] by the action of the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase. This assay was carried out in vitro in three cell lines: one related to the immune system (murine macrophages of the immune system: RAW264.7) and two human cell lines related to the skin (gingival fibroblasts: HGF, and immortalized human keratinocytes: HaCaT). Both extracts showed no cytotoxic activity in both types of human cells, whereas they showed cytotoxicity in murine tumor cells of the immune system (macrophages: RAW264.7). On the other hand, the immunological activity in the murine macrophage RAW264.7 was studied at a concentration lower than 100 μg mL⁻¹ and lower than the EC₅₀, and evaluated by the production of pro-inflammatory compounds through an immunosorbent assay linked to enzymes such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) or anti-inflammatory/proinflammatory enzymes such as interleukin-6 (IL-6). Both algae extracts induced the biosynthesis of TNF-α and IL-6. The production of TNF-α was much higher than that observed in the control (at a concentration of the aqueous extract higher than 5 μg mL⁻¹). These results support the theory that the extracts of H. cornea and G. longissima actively induce the production of cytokines. In summary, the extracts of these species did not show cytotoxicity in human cells, and they present with immunomodulatory and photoprotection capacity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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14 pages, 1213 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Brown Seaweed Egregia menziesii’s Cytotoxic Activity against Brain Cancer Cell Lines

by Tatiana Olivares-Bañuelos, Anllely G. Gutiérrez-Rodríguez, Rodolfo Méndez-Bellido, Ricardo Tovar-Miranda, Omar Arroyo-Helguera, Claudia Juárez-Portilla, Thuluz Meza-Menchaca, Luis E. Aguilar-Rosas, Luisa C. R. Hernández-Kelly, Arturo Ortega and Rossana C. Zepeda

Molecules 2019, 24(2), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24020260 - 11 Jan 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4855

Abstract

Brown seaweeds contain bioactive compounds that show anti-tumorigenic effects. These characteristics have been repeatedly observed in the Lessoniaceae family. Egregia menziesii, a member of this family, is distributed in the North Pacific and its properties have been barely studied. We evaluated herein the cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activity of extracts of this seaweed, through toxicity assay in Artemia salina and lymphocytes, and MTT proliferation assay, in Bergmann glia cells, 3T3-L1 and brain cancer cell lines. E. menziesii’s extracts inhibited the spread of all the tested cell lines. The hexane extract showed the highest cytotoxic activity, while the methanol extract was moderately cytotoxic. Interestingly, seaweed extracts displayed a selective inhibition pattern. These results suggest that E. menziesii’s extracts might be good candidates for cancer prevention and the development of novel chemotherapies due to its highest cytotoxicity in transformed cells compare to glia primary cultures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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8 pages, 1836 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Agar Extraction By-Products from Gelidium sesquipedale as a Source of Glycerol-Galactosides

by Salim Lebbar, Mathieu Fanuel, Sophie Le Gall, Xavier Falourd, David Ropartz, Philippe Bressollier, Vincent Gloaguen and Céline Faugeron-Girard

Molecules 2018, 23(12), 3364; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23123364 - 19 Dec 2018

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6987

Abstract

Alkaline treatment is a common step largely used in the industrial extraction of agar, a phycocolloid obtained from red algae such as Gelidium sesquipedale. The subsequent residue constitutes a poorly valorized by-product. The present study aimed to identify low-molecular-weight compounds in this alkaline waste. A fractionation process was designed in order to obtain the oligosaccharidic fraction from which several glycerol-galactosides were isolated. A combination of electrospray ion (ESI)-mass spectrometry, ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, and glycosidic linkage analyses by GC-MS allowed the identification of floridoside, corresponding to Gal-glycerol, along with oligogalactosides, i.e., (Gal)_2–4-glycerol, among which α-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-d-galactopyranosylα1-2–glycerol and α-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-d-galactopyranosylα1-2–glycerol were described for the first time in red algae. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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14 pages, 1410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antifungal Efficacy of Marine Macroalgae against Fungal Isolates from Bronchial Asthmatic Cases

by Suresh Mickymaray and Wael Alturaiki

Molecules 2018, 23(11), 3032; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23113032 - 20 Nov 2018

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 4830

Abstract

Fungal sensitization is very common in bronchial asthmatic cases, and the connection with airway colonization by fungi remains uncertain. Antifungal therapy failure is a significant fraction of the cost and morbidity and mortality in the majority of the asthmatic cases. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the antifungal activity of five marine macroalgae—Acanthaophora specifera, Cladophoropsis sp., Laurencia paniculata, Tydemania sp., and Ulva prolifera—which were tested on selected fungal pathogens isolated from 15 sputum of 45 bronchial asthmatic patients. The highest antifungal activity was observed in ethanol fractions of L. paniculata followed by U. prolifera, Cladophoropsis sp., A. specifera, and Tydemania sp. The minimum fungicidal concentration and minimum inhibitory concentration values of the ethanolic fractions of algal species were found to be 125–1000 µg/mL and 125–500 µg/mL, respectively. The algal extracts contained terpene alcohol, diterpene, steroids, sesquiterpene, and sesquiterpene alcohol, as determined by GC–MS/MS analyses. The present study shows that the marine macroalgae containing bioactive compounds had excellent inhibitory activity against a variety of fungal pathogens, which may be useful for combating fungal infections and recovering from chronic asthmatic states. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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Review

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50 pages, 1967 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Current Trends on Seaweeds: Looking at Chemical Composition, Phytopharmacology, and Cosmetic Applications

by Bahare Salehi, Javad Sharifi-Rad, Ana M. L. Seca, Diana C. G. A. Pinto, Izabela Michalak, Antonio Trincone, Abhay Prakash Mishra, Manisha Nigam, Wissam Zam and Natália Martins

Molecules 2019, 24(22), 4182; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24224182 - 18 Nov 2019

Cited by 155 | Viewed by 13564

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. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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14 pages, 710 KiB

Open AccessReview

Insights into the Regulation of Algal Proteins and Bioactive Peptides Using Proteomic and Transcriptomic Approaches

by Lucie Beaulieu

Molecules 2019, 24(9), 1708; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24091708 - 02 May 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4229

Abstract

Oceans abound in resources of various kinds for R&D and for commercial applications. Monitoring and bioprospecting allow the identification of an increasing number of key natural resources. Macroalgae are essential elements of marine ecosystems as well as a natural resource influenced by dynamic environmental factors. They are not only nutritionally attractive but have also demonstrated potential health benefits such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory activities. Several bioactive peptides have been observed following enzymatic hydrolysis of macroalgal proteins. In addition, significant differences in protein bioactivities and peptide extracts of wild and cultivated macroalgae have been highlighted, but the metabolic pathways giving rise to these bioactive molecules remain largely elusive. Surprisingly, the biochemistry that underlies the environmental stress tolerance of macroalgae has not been well investigated and remains poorly understood. Proteomic and functional genomic approaches based on identifying precursor proteins and bioactive peptides of macroalgae through integrated multi-omics analysis can give insights into their regulation as influenced by abiotic factors. These strategies allow evaluating the proteomics profile of regulation of macroalgae in response to different growth conditions as well as establishing a comparative transcriptome profiling targeting structural protein-coding genes. Elucidation of biochemical pathways in macroalgae could provide an innovative means of enhancing the protein quality of edible macroalgae. This could be ultimately viewed as a powerful way to drive the development of a tailored production and extraction of high value molecules. This review provides an overview of algal proteins and bioactive peptide characterization using proteomics and transcriptomic analyses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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28 pages, 9906 KiB

Open AccessReview

Looking at Marine-Derived Bioactive Molecules as Upcoming Anti-Diabetic Agents: A Special Emphasis on PTP1B Inhibitors

by Shahira M. Ezzat, Mahitab H. El Bishbishy, Solomon Habtemariam, Bahare Salehi, Mehdi Sharifi-Rad, Natália Martins and Javad Sharifi-Rad

Molecules 2018, 23(12), 3334; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23123334 - 15 Dec 2018

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5473

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease with high morbimortality rates. DM has two types: type 1, which is often associated with a total destruction of pancreatic beta cells, and non-insulin-dependent or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), more closely associated with obesity and old age. The main causes of T2DM are insulin resistance and/or inadequate insulin secretion. Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) negatively regulates insulin signaling pathways and plays an important role in T2DM, as its overexpression may induce insulin resistance. Thus, since PTP1B may be a therapeutic target for both T2DM and obesity, the search for novel and promising natural inhibitors has gained much attention. Hence, several marine organisms, including macro and microalgae, sponges, marine invertebrates, sea urchins, seaweeds, soft corals, lichens, and sea grasses, have been recently evaluated as potential drug sources. This review provides an overview of the role of PTP1B in T2DM insulin signaling and treatment, and highlights the recent findings of several compounds and extracts derived from marine organisms and their relevance as upcoming PTP1B inhibitors. In this systematic literature review, more than 60 marine-derived metabolites exhibiting PTP1B inhibitory activity are listed. Their chemical classes, structural features, relative PTP1B inhibitory potency (assessed by IC₅₀ values), and structure–activity relationships (SARs) that could be drawn from the available data are discussed. The upcoming challenge in the field of marine research—metabolomics—is also addressed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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18 pages, 2559 KiB

Open AccessReview

Oligosaccharides Derived from Red Seaweed: Production, Properties, and Potential Health and Cosmetic Applications

by Kit-Leong Cheong, Hua-Mai Qiu, Hong Du, Yang Liu and Bilal Muhammad Khan

Molecules 2018, 23(10), 2451; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23102451 - 25 Sep 2018

Cited by 122 | Viewed by 10383

Abstract

Because of their potential use as functional ingredients in human nutrition, oligosaccharides derived from natural sources are receiving paramount consideration. Red seaweed, a proven rich source of agar and carrageenan, is one of the most abundantly present sources of such oligosaccharides. Agaro-oligosaccharides (AOS) and carrageenan-oligosaccharides (COS) are produced from agar and carrageenan, respectively, through chemical and enzymatic hydrolyses. Enzymatic hydrolysis of agar and carrageenan into oligosaccharides is preferred in industrial production because of certain problems associated with chemical hydrolysis, including the release of high amounts of monosaccharides and undesirable toxic products, such as furfural. AOS and COS possess many biological activities, including prebiotic, immuno-modulatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor activities. These activities are related to their chemical structure, molecular weight, degree of polymerization, and the flexibility of the glycosidic linkages. Therefore, the structure–function relationship and the mechanisms occurring during the specific biological applications of AOS and COS are discussed herein. Moreover, the chromatographic separation, purification, and characterization of AOS and COS are also part of this review. This piece of writing strives to create a new perspective on the potential applications of AOS and COS in the functional food and pharmaceutical industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Seaweeds: Drifting from Bioactive Molecules to Health-related Effects and Cosmetic Applications)

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