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      Bioactivities from Marine Algae of the Genus Gracilaria

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          Abstract

          Seaweeds are an important source of bioactive metabolites for the pharmaceutical industry in drug development. Many of these compounds are used to treat diseases like cancer, acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), inflammation, pain, arthritis, as well as viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. This paper offers a survey of the literature for Gracilaria algae extracts with biological activity, and identifies avenues for future research. Nineteen species of this genus that were tested for antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antihypertensive, cytotoxic, spermicidal, embriotoxic, and anti-inflammatory activities are cited from the 121 references consulted.

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          Marine natural products.

          This review covers the marine natural products literature for the year 2000 and is organized phylogenetically, with sections on marine microorganisms and phytoplankton, green algae, brown algae, red algae, sponges, coelenterates, bryozoans, molluscs, tunicates. echinoderms and miscellaneous marine organisms. There is an emphasis on new structures, stressing their biological activities, source organisms and countries of origin, and also syntheses that confirm the structures of known compounds. The review contains 869 structures and 592 references, of which 434 appeared between January and December 2000.
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            Prebiotics from Marine Macroalgae for Human and Animal Health Applications

            The marine environment is an untapped source of bioactive compounds. Specifically, marine macroalgae (seaweeds) are rich in polysaccharides that could potentially be exploited as prebiotic functional ingredients for both human and animal health applications. Prebiotics are non-digestible, selectively fermented compounds that stimulate the growth and/or activity of beneficial gut microbiota which, in turn, confer health benefits on the host. This review will introduce the concept and potential applications of prebiotics, followed by an outline of the chemistry of seaweed polysaccharides. Their potential for use as prebiotics for both humans and animals will be highlighted by reviewing data from both in vitro and in vivo studies conducted to date.
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              Halogenated Compounds from Marine Algae

              Marine algae produce a cocktail of halogenated metabolites with potential commercial value. Structures exhibited by these compounds go from acyclic entities with a linear chain to complex polycyclic molecules. Their medical and pharmaceutical application has been investigated for a few decades, however other properties, such as antifouling, are not to be discarded. Many compounds were discovered in the last years, although the need for new drugs keeps this field open as many algal species are poorly screened. The ecological role of marine algal halogenated metabolites has somehow been overlooked. This new research field will provide valuable and novel insight into the marine ecosystem dynamics as well as a new approach to comprehending biodiversity. Furthermore, understanding interactions between halogenated compound production by algae and the environment, including anthropogenic or global climate changes, is a challenging target for the coming years. Research of halogenated metabolites has been more focused on macroalgae than on phytoplankton. However, phytoplankton could be a very promising material since it is the base of the marine food chain with quick adaptation to environmental changes, which undoubtedly has consequences on secondary metabolism. This paper reviews recent progress on this field and presents trends on the role of marine algae as producers of halogenated compounds.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Int J Mol Sci
                ijms
                International Journal of Molecular Sciences
                Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI)
                1422-0067
                2011
                15 July 2011
                : 12
                : 7
                : 4550-4573
                Affiliations
                Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, PB 58051-900, Brazil; E-Mails: cynthialayse@ 123456gmail.com (C.L.F.A.); heloinafalcao@ 123456yahoo.com.br (H.S.F.); gedson@ 123456ltf.ufpb.br (G.R.M.L.); camila_montenegro@ 123456ltf.ufpb.br (C.A.M.); narlizelira@ 123456yahoo.com.br (N.S.L.); athayde-filho@ 123456quimica.ufpb.br (P.F.A.-F); lcezar@ 123456ltf.ufpb.br (L.C.R.); mfvanderlei@ 123456ltf.ufpb.br (M.F.V.S.); jbarbosa@ 123456ltf.ufpb.br (J.M.B.-F.)
                Author notes
                [* ]Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: leoniab@ 123456uol.com.br ; Tel.: +55-83-32167003; Fax: +55-83-32167502.
                Article
                ijms-12-04550
                10.3390/ijms12074550
                3155369
                21845096
                4f2ba66f-90bf-4040-90d3-ae51b0e75a24
                © 2011 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

                This article is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

                History
                : 16 May 2011
                : 26 June 2011
                : 05 July 2011
                Categories
                Review

                Molecular biology
                review,seaweed,macroalgae,natural product,gracilaria,biological activity
                Molecular biology
                review, seaweed, macroalgae, natural product, gracilaria, biological activity

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