The Ocean's Pharmacy: Health Discoveries in Marine Algae.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a global health challenge, constituting a major cause of mortality and disease burden in the 21st century. Addressing the prevention and management of NCDs is crucial for improving global public health, emphasizing the need for comprehensive strategies, early interventions, and innovative therapeutic approaches to mitigate their far-reaching consequences. Marine organisms, mainly algae, produce diverse marine natural products with significant therapeutic potential.

The osteogenic and mineralogenic potential of the microalgae Skeletonema costatum and Tetraselmis striata CTP4 in fish models.

Skeletal disorders are problematic aspects for the aquaculture industry as skeletal deformities, which affect most species of farmed fish, increase production costs and affect fish welfare. Following recent findings that show the presence of osteoactive compounds in marine organisms, we evaluated the osteogenic and mineralogenic potential of commercially available microalgae strains Skeletonema costatum and Tetraselmis striata CTP4 in several fish systems. Ethanolic extracts increased extracellular matrix mineralization in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) bone-derived cell cultures and promoted osteoblastic differentiation in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae.

Shedding Light on the Hidden Benefit of Culture.

Microalgae can represent a reliable source of natural compounds with different activities. Here, we evaluated the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of sulfated exopolysaccharides (s-EPSs) and phycoerythrin (PE), two molecules naturally produced by the red marine microalga (CCALA415). and cell-based assays were performed to assess the biological activities of these compounds.

Protein Sources Alternative to Meat: State of the Art and Involvement of Fermentation.

Meat represents an important protein source, even in developing countries, but its production is scarcely sustainable, and its excessive consumption poses health issues. An increasing number of Western consumers would replace, at least partially, meat with alternative protein sources. This review aims at: (i) depicting nutritional, functional, sensory traits, and critical issues of single-cell proteins (SCP), filamentous fungi, microalgae, vegetables (alone or mixed with milk), and insects and (ii) displaying how fermentation could improve their quality, to facilitate their use as food items/ingredients/supplements.

Nutritional and Functional Evaluation of and Grown in Different Salinities for Human Consumption.

The nutritional composition and productivity of halophytes is strongly related to the biotic/abiotic stress to which these extremophile salt tolerant plants are subjected during their cultivation cycle. In this study, two commercial halophyte species ( and ) were cultivated at six levels of salinity using a soilless cultivation system. In this way, it was possible to understand the response mechanisms of these halophytes to salt stress.

Carotenoid biosynthetic gene expression, pigment and n-3 fatty acid contents in carotenoid-rich Tetraselmis striata CTP4 strains under heat stress combined with high light.

In this study, two carotenoid-rich strains of the euryhaline microalga Tetraselmis striata CTP4 were isolated by random mutagenesis combined with selection via fluorescence activated cell sorting and growth on norflurazon. Both strains, ED5 and B11, showed an up to 1.5-fold increase in carotenoid contents as compared with the wildtype, independent of the growth conditions.

On the Development of Selective Chelators for Cadmium: Synthesis, Structure and Chelating Properties of 3-((5-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl)amino)benzo[]isothiazole 1,1-dioxide, a Novel Thiadiazolyl Saccharinate.

Aquatic contamination by heavy metals is a major concern for the serious negative consequences it has for plants, animals, and humans. Among the most toxic metals, Cd(II) stands out since selective and truly efficient methodologies for its removal are not known. We report a novel multidentate chelating agent comprising the heterocycles thiadiazole and benzisothiazole.

Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2) Activities of Monoterpene Hydroxy Lactones Isolated from the Marine Microalga .

is a marine haptophyte rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g., docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) and carotenoids (e.

Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Bioactive Potential of Two New Haloarchaeal Strains Isolated from Odiel Salterns (Southwest Spain).

The need to survive in extreme environments has furnished haloarchaea with a series of components specially adapted to work in such conditions. The possible application of these molecules in the pharmaceutical and industrial fields has received increasing attention; however, many potential bioactivities of haloarchaea are still poorly explored. In this paper, we describe the isolation and identification of two new haloarchaeal strains from the saltern ponds located in the marshlands of the Odiel River, in the southwest of Spain, as well as the in vitro assessment of their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and bioactive properties.

Influence of cultivation salinity in the nutritional composition, antioxidant capacity and microbial quality of Salicornia ramosissima commercially produced in soilless systems.

The consumption of halophytes as healthy gourmet food has increased considerably in the past few years. However, knowledge on the nutritional profile of domesticated halophytes is scarce and little is known on which cultivation conditions can produce plants with the best nutritional and functional properties. In this context, Salicornia ramosissima J.

Improvement of carotenoid extraction from a recently isolated, robust microalga, Tetraselmis sp. CTP4 (chlorophyta).

In recent years, there has been increasing consumer interest in carotenoids, particularly of marine sustainable origin with applications in the food, cosmeceutical, nutritional supplement and pharmaceutical industries. For instance, microalgae belonging to the genus Tetraselmis are known for their biotechnologically relevant carotenoid profile. The recently isolated marine microalgal strain Tetraselmis sp.

Nutritional Potential and Toxicological Evaluation of sp. CTP4 Microalgal Biomass Produced in Industrial Photobioreactors.

Commercial production of microalgal biomass for food and feed is a recent worldwide trend. Although it is common to publish nutritional data for microalgae grown at the lab-scale, data about industrial strains cultivated in an industrial setting are scarce in the literature. Thus, here we present the nutritional composition and a microbiological and toxicological evaluation of sp.

Growth performance, biochemical composition and sedimentation velocity of sp. CTP4 under different salinities using low-cost lab- and pilot-scale systems.

Biomass harvesting is one of the most expensive steps of the whole microalgal production pipeline. Therefore, the present work aimed to understand the effect of salinity on the growth performance, biochemical composition and sedimentation velocity of sp. CTP4, in order to establish an effective low-cost pilot-scale harvesting system for this strain.

In vitro and in silico approaches to unveil the mechanisms underlying the cytotoxic effect of juncunol on human hepatocarcinoma cells.

Background: Juncunol is a phenanthrene isolated from the halophyte species Juncus acutus, with selective cytotoxic activity towards human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells. However, its mechanism of action is unknown.

Methods: The in vitro cytotoxic mechanism of juncunol was evaluated on HepG2 cells through several methods to elucidate its potential to induce apoptotic features, decrease mitochondrial membrane potential, promote internal ROS production and influence cell cycle.

Scale-up and large-scale production of Tetraselmis sp. CTP4 (Chlorophyta) for CO mitigation: from an agar plate to 100-m industrial photobioreactors.

Industrial production of novel microalgal isolates is key to improving the current portfolio of available strains that are able to grow in large-scale production systems for different biotechnological applications, including carbon mitigation. In this context, Tetraselmis sp. CTP4 was successfully scaled up from an agar plate to 35- and 100-m industrial scale tubular photobioreactors (PBR).

Health promoting potential of herbal teas and tinctures from Artemisia campestris subsp. maritima: from traditional remedies to prospective products.

This work explored the biotechnological potential of the medicinal halophyte Artemisia campestris subsp. maritima (dune wormwood) as a source of health promoting commodities. For that purpose, infusions, decoctions and tinctures were prepared from roots and aerial-organs and evaluated for in vitro antioxidant, anti-diabetic and tyrosinase-inhibitory potential, and also for polyphenolic and mineral contents and toxicity.

Report of antileishmanial properties of Iberian macroalgae.

Here is reported the anti activity of 48 hexane, CHCl and MeOH extracts from 16 macroalgae collected on the Iberian Coast. Seven hexane and CHCl and extracts were active towards promastigotes (IC 29.8-101.

Synthesis, Structure, and Cytotoxicity of a New Sulphanyl-Bridged Thiadiazolyl-Saccharinate Conjugate: The Relevance of S⋅⋅⋅N Interaction.

Reports showing that the copper concentration is considerably higher in neoplasms than in normal tissues prompted the need to develop selective copper chelators. We disclosed recently that some N-linked tetrazole-saccharinates bind selectively to copper, forming complexes that are highly cytotoxic towards cancer cells. Because tetrazole-saccharinates are photolabile, due to the photoreactivity of tetrazoles, we proposed thiadiazolyl-saccharinates as an alternative.

Chemical profiling of infusions and decoctions of Helichrysum italicum subsp. picardii by UHPLC-PDA-MS and in vitro biological activities comparatively with green tea (Camellia sinensis) and rooibos tisane (Aspalathus linearis).

Several medicinal plants are currently used by the food industry as functional additives, for example botanical extracts in herbal drinks. Moreover, the scientific community has recently begun focusing on halophytes as sources of functional beverages. Helichrysum italicum subsp.

A first glance into the nutritional properties of the sea cucumber Parastichopus regalis from the Mediterranean Sea (SE Spain).

This work reports for the first time the nutritional profile, including proximate chemical composition, amino acids, fatty acids and minerals of Parastichopus regalis from the Mediterranean Sea (SE Spain). The studied species had a high moisture content, moderate protein and low lipid levels. The most abundant amino acids were glutamic acid, arginine and tyrosine.

First report of the in vitro antileishmanial properties of extremophile plants from the Algarve Coast.

This work reports for the first time the in vitro anti Leishmania infantum activity of acetone and dichloromethane (DCM) extracts from 25 extremophile plants from Southern Portugal. DCM extracts from Inula chritmoides and Spergularia rubra were active against axenic promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes, had anti-inflammatory properties on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages, inhibited acetylcholinesterase and had no haemolytic activity on human erythrocytes. Eleven phenolics were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) in I.

Searching for new sources of innovative products for the food industry within halophyte aromatic plants: In vitro antioxidant activity and phenolic and mineral contents of infusions and decoctions of Crithmum maritimum L.

Aromatic halophyte plants are an outstanding source of bioactive compounds and natural products with potential use in the food industry. This work reports the in vitro antioxidant activity, toxicity, polyphenolic profile and mineral contents of infusions and decoctions from stems, leaves and flowers of Crithmum maritimum L., an aromatic and edible maritime halophyte (sea fennel).

Juncaceae species as sources of innovative bioactive compounds for the food industry: In vitro antioxidant activity, neuroprotective properties and in silico studies.

Several Juncus species are traditionally used as sedative and to treat health problems like insomnia. This work was based on the hypothesis that Juncus acutus, J. maritimus and J.

Synthesis and anti-cancer activity of chiral tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-fused steroids.

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of novel chiral 4,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-fused steroids via [8π+2π] cycloaddition of diazafulvenium methides with steroidal scaffolds is reported. The biological evaluation of the new family of hexacyclic steroids as anti-cancer agents was also carried out. Hexacyclic steroids bearing a benzyl group at C-22, derived from 16-dehydropregnenolone and 16-dehydroprogesterone, show considerable cytotoxicity against EL4 (murine T-lymphoma) in contrast with the corresponding C-22-unsubstituted derivatives showing low cytotoxicity.