Antiviral Activity and Mechanisms of Seaweeds Bioactive Compounds on Enveloped Viruses—A Review

Abstract

In the last decades, the interest in seaweed has significantly increased. Bioactive compounds from seaweed’s currently receive major attention from pharmaceutical companies as they express several interesting biological activities which are beneficial for humans. The structural diversity of seaweed metabolites provides diverse biological activities which are expressed through diverse mechanisms of actions. This review mainly focuses on the antiviral activity of seaweed’s extracts, highlighting the mechanisms of actions of some seaweed molecules against infection caused by different types of enveloped viruses: influenza, Lentivirus (HIV-1), Herpes viruses, and coronaviruses. Seaweed metabolites with antiviral properties can act trough different pathways by increasing the host’s defense system or through targeting and blocking virus replication before it enters host cells. Several studies have already established the large antiviral spectrum of seaweed’s bioactive compounds. Throughout this review, antiviral mechanisms and medical applications of seaweed’s bioactive compounds are analyzed, suggesting seaweed’s potential source of antiviral compounds for the formulation of novel and natural antiviral drugs.

Seaweed for climate mitigation, wastewater treatment, bioenergy, bioplastic, biochar, food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics: a review

“…Seaweed and seaweed extracts have antiviral properties against a variety of viruses (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ). Seaweed metabolites can function as antiviral agents by boosting the host's immune system or inhibiting virus replication prior to virus entry into host cells (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ).…”

“…Seaweed and seaweed extracts have antiviral properties against a variety of viruses (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ). Seaweed metabolites can function as antiviral agents by boosting the host's immune system or inhibiting virus replication prior to virus entry into host cells (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ). Seaweeds can target several viruses, such as herpes viruses, lentivirus, influenza viruses, and coronaviruses, and others (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ; Wei et al 2022 ).…”

“…Seaweed metabolites can function as antiviral agents by boosting the host's immune system or inhibiting virus replication prior to virus entry into host cells (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ). Seaweeds can target several viruses, such as herpes viruses, lentivirus, influenza viruses, and coronaviruses, and others (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ; Wei et al 2022 ). The antiviral activity of polyphenols and sulphated polysaccharides was greater than that of other seaweed compounds (Table 12 ).…”

“…The virucidal effect of sulphated polysaccharides is based on their interference with initial viral attachment to the negatively charged host cell surface. Negatively charged sulphated polysaccharides can interact with positively charged viral glycoproteins, preventing the virus from entering the target cell (Lomartire and Goncalves 2022 ). For instance, sulphated polysaccharides such as galactan, carrageenan, fucoidan, ulvan, alginate, naviculan, and calcium spirulan extracted from seaweeds are found to produce inhibitory activities against cell damages generated by several viruses (Wei et al 2022 ).…”

Novel Technologies for Seaweed Polysaccharides Extraction and Their Use in Food with Therapeutically Applications—A Review

“…Moreover, to survive several viral attacks in hostile environments, seaweeds have developed antiviral compounds that stop a virus from entering the host cell or stopping its reproduction cycle at a specific stage. Alginates, carrageenan, agarans, DL-hybrid galactans, laminarans, fucans, and fucoidans, are sulphated polysaccharides found in seaweeds that have been discovered to prevent the replication of a diversity of enveloped viruses [ 16 ].…”