Brown Seaweeds from Black Sea Coast as an Important Source of Bioactive Compounds of Interest for Human Health

Abstract

For human nutrition, algae are important organisms that can offer essential compounds and new bioactive substances with pharmaceutical and medicinal value. Macroalgae contain nutritional elements such as lipids, proteins, vitamins and minerals and they are used as food supplements because they are known to be high in mineral content. There are a lot of nutritionally compunds that can be identified in algae such as polysaccharides, polyphenols, diterpenes, sterols, carbohydrates, peptides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, pigments and dietary fibers. Nutraceuticals are confirmed to be used as medicines because they are a good protector against chronic diseases and they have physiological benefits. Algae bioactive compounds could be used as an anticoagulant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, anticancer, antiviral, antidiabetic, antiobesity, antihypertensive and hypercholesterolemic nutraceuticals. Although only some of the algae have been studied properly for their chemical composition and properties, they are a considerable biological resource with ability for use as a raw material. In this paper the compounds from red and brown algae from the Romanian seaside are evaluated as sources of biologically active ingredients with benefits in human health.

Comparative evaluation of amino acid profiles, fatty acid compositions, and nutritional value of two varieties of head water Porphyra yezoensis: “Jianghaida No. 1” and “Sutong No.1”

“…These marine vegetables have high mineral content, often exceeding that of terrestrial plants, and can contribute significantly to daily mineral intake ( Guo et al, 2022 ). Additionally, macroalgae are indeed an excellent source of various vitamins, including vitamin A, C, E and K, and several B-vitamins (such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and vitamin B12) ( Drăgan et al, 2023 ; Guo et al, 2022 ; Reddy et al, 2023 ). These minerals and vitamins also play crucial roles in maintaining human health and are beneficial for various bodily functions.…”