Marine Algae as a Potential Source for Anti-Obesity Agents

Abstract

Obesity is a major epidemic that poses a worldwide threat to human health, as it is also associated with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Therapeutic intervention through weight loss drugs, accompanied by diet and exercise, is one of the options for the treatment and management of obesity. However, the only approved anti-obesity drug currently available in the market is orlistat, a synthetic inhibitor of pancreatic lipase. Other anti-obesity drugs are still being evaluated at different stages of clinical trials, while some have been withdrawn due to their severe adverse effects. Thus, there is a need to look for new anti-obesity agents, especially from biological sources. Marine algae, especially seaweeds are a promising source of anti-obesity agents. Four major bioactive compounds from seaweeds which have the potential as anti-obesity agents are fucoxanthin, alginates, fucoidans and phlorotannins. The anti-obesity effects of such compounds are due to several mechanisms, which include the inhibition of lipid absorption and metabolism (e.g., fucoxanthin and fucoidans), effect on satiety feeling (e.g., alginates), and inhibition of adipocyte differentiation (e.g., fucoxanthin). Further studies, especially testing bioactive compounds in long-term human trials are required before any new anti-obesity drugs based on algal products can be developed.

Marine Alginate Oligosaccharides – A Promising Biomaterial: Current Use and Future Perspectives in Food Industry and Pharmaceutical Applications

“…On the other hand, recent studies have discussed a variety of drugs from marine sources that promote anti-obesity effects such as Fucoxanthin from brown algae. In addition, a number of previous studies showed that the positive effect on anti-obesity of diets contains extracts from brown seaweeds [56]. Those studies found that the diets supplemented with the extracts from seaweeds have an inhibitory effect on lipogenesis in adipocytes, decrease in total cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels as well as blood glucose and insulin levels and especially in reducing the body weight [56].…”

“…In addition, a number of previous studies showed that the positive effect on anti-obesity of diets contains extracts from brown seaweeds [56]. Those studies found that the diets supplemented with the extracts from seaweeds have an inhibitory effect on lipogenesis in adipocytes, decrease in total cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels as well as blood glucose and insulin levels and especially in reducing the body weight [56]. Since AOS and their derivatives are water-soluble, non-toxic and no sideeffect, they may be beneficial biomaterials in various metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes.…”

Potential Use of Marine Seaweeds as Prebiotics: A Review

“…Regarding specific benefits on human health, seaweeds have demonstrated to exert preventive effects against several non-transmissible diseases such as cardiovascular diseases [11,12], antihypertensive [13], anti-obesity effects [14] and anti-diabetic effects [15,16], anti-cancer [17,18] or antioxidant activities [19].…”

“…The potential anti-obesity activity derived from seaweeds consumption may involve a large variety of mechanisms and alterations in lipid metabolism, suppression of inflammation, suppression of adipocyte differentiation and delay in gastric emptying [14]. Between then, an important anti-obesity activity of seaweeds is the inhibition of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) expression and activation of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation [13].…”

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“…The α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition properties of solvent extracts of several red, brown and green macro algae have been reported by numerous authors from elsewhere (Chu & Phang, 2016;Heo, Park, Lee, & Jeon, 2005;Kim et al, 2014;Lordan et al, 2013;Pai-An, Shih-Yung, Yu-Lan, YiKuan, & Zwe-Ling, 2013;Schultz Moreira et al, 2014;Xindi et al, 2016;Yuan & Walsh, 2006). In addition, the antihypertensive, Angiotensinconverting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting properties and antioxidant activities of seaweed protein hydrolysates and peptides has been reported in the previous studies (Beaulieu, Sirois, & Tamigneaux, 2016;Ko et al, 2012;Qu et al, 2015;Qu et al, 2010;.…”