Pharmacological Activities of Seaweeds

Marine Macroalgae are act as the eminent source of marine natural products. Seaweeds are currently utilized marine plant resources having various applications in culinary, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and biotechnological processes. Seaweeds are considered to be having rich source of structurally different bioactive metabolites and are considered as prominent source for the discovery of functional food based drugs/pharmacopores. Seaweeds are having various therapeutic properties for disease management and health, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotectivity, anticoagulant, antihypertensive, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, antiviral, spermicidal, antiestrogenic, antipyretic, antiobesity, antinociceptive, anti-ageing, anti-plasmodial, hyplolipidaemic, antidiahhroeal activity, antimicrosporidian, antipredatory, antiproliferative and wound healing properties. In this review, antimicrobial activity of 239 species, antioxidant potential of 114 species, anti-inflammatory activity of 38 species, anti-diabetic activity of 35species and hepatoprotective activity of 22 species are summarized. The available literatures confirmed the presence of various pharmacological activities of seaweeds however further research required to isolate the specific bioactive compounds from the crude extracts of seaweeds. The isolated active principles may act as alternative drug for various biological ailments.