Potential Seaweed-Derived Bioactive Compounds for Pharmaceutical Applications

The quest for various nutraceuticals has risen recently due to their invaluable bioactive ingredients and therapeutic properties. To this end, experts have sourced various species of plants that have high contents of bioactive compounds for their potential exploration in pharmaceutical applications. More recently, seaweeds have proven to be highly promising, hence their wide application in medicinal usage. They have been documented to contain a high amount of numerous biologically active molecules which are accountable for their antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. They have also been well explored in food, and cosmetic production, as well as in nutraceuticals industries. In some current investigations, seaweeds have been considered a suitable and reliable alternative to various synthetic compounds used in pharmaceutical industries. Seaweeds have varying compositions of bioactive compounds, which are dependent on factors such as the type of algae, period of harvesting, and environmental conditions. The consumption of seaweeds as a source of nutrients is due to their high mineral, vitamins, and protein compositions. This work focuses on the bioactive compounds that are derived from seaweeds and their applications in pharmaceutical industries. It discusses various bioactive compounds present in seaweeds. It highlights the antimicrobial, antiviral, and antioxidant potentials of these active ingredients. Furthermore, some recent studies on their exploration of these applications are also presented. Future perspectives in the exploration of bioactive compounds from seaweeds for pharmaceutical applications are also attempted.