Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2013 Jan 23;11(1):233-52.
doi: 10.3390/md11010233.

Bioactivity and applications of sulphated polysaccharides from marine microalgae

Maria Filomena de Jesus Raposo  1 , Rui Manuel Santos Costa de Morais, Alcina Maria Miranda Bernardo de Morais
Affiliations
Review

Bioactivity and applications of sulphated polysaccharides from marine microalgae

Maria Filomena de Jesus Raposo et al. Mar Drugs. .

Abstract

Marine microalgae have been used for a long time as food for humans, such as Arthrospira (formerly, Spirulina), and for animals in aquaculture. The biomass of these microalgae and the compounds they produce have been shown to possess several biological applications with numerous health benefits. The present review puts up-to-date the research on the biological activities and applications of polysaccharides, active biocompounds synthesized by marine unicellular algae, which are, most of the times, released into the surrounding medium (exo- or extracellular polysaccharides, EPS). It goes through the most studied activities of sulphated polysaccharides (sPS) or their derivatives, but also highlights lesser known applications as hypolipidaemic or hypoglycaemic, or as biolubricant agents and drag-reducers. Therefore, the great potentials of sPS from marine microalgae to be used as nutraceuticals, therapeutic agents, cosmetics, or in other areas, such as engineering, are approached in this review.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Yamagushi K. Recent advances in microalgal bioscience in Japan, with special reference to utilization of biomass and metabolites: A review. J. Appl. Phycol. 1997;8:487–502. doi: 10.1007/BF02186327. - DOI
    1. Liang S., Xueming L., Chen F., Chen Z. Current microalgal health food R & D activities in China. Hydrobiologia. 2004;512:45–48. doi: 10.1023/B:HYDR.0000020366.65760.98. - DOI
    1. Vilchez C., Garbayo I., Lobato M.V., Vega J.M. Microalgae-Mediated chemicals production and wastes removal. Enzyme Microb. Technol. 1997;20:562–572. doi: 10.1016/S0141-0229(96)00208-6. - DOI
    1. Apt K.A., Behrens P.W. Commercial developments in microalgal biotechnology. J. Phycol. 1999;35:215–226. doi: 10.1046/j.1529-8817.1999.3520215.x. - DOI
    1. Müller-Feuga A. The role of microalgae in aquaculture: situation and trends. J. Appl. Phycol. 2000;12:527–534. doi: 10.1023/A:1008106304417. - DOI

Publication types