Green Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Marine Macroalgae: Chemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Biotechnological Applications
- 1State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
- 2School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Abstract
Marine macroalgae are widely distributed renewable resources that offer substantial economic and environmental benefits. This review comprehensively examines seaweeds from the phyla Chlorophyta, Heterokontophyta, and Rhodophyta, highlighting key advances and persistent challenges. Global seaweed production is highly concentrated: Asia accounts for 97% of the total, with China as the dominant producer. These seaweeds synthesize a diverse array of bioactive compounds, including sulfated polysaccharides, phlorotannins, terpenoids, proteins, peptides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and pigments. Notably, brown algae represent the richest source of both phlorotannins and polyunsaturated fatty acids. To recover these valuable compounds efficiently, a range of advanced green extraction techniques have been developed, such as enzyme-assisted, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and supercritical fluid extraction, along with natural deep eutectic solvents. These methods consistently outperform conventional approaches in terms of yield, extraction time, and environmental sustainability. The isolated compounds exhibit a broad spectrum of validated pharmacological activities, including immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, antitumor, and antiviral effects. Consequently, they have found diverse applications in functional foods, biomedicine, cosmetics, agriculture, aquaculture, and environmental protection. Despite this promise, critical challenges remain in elucidating structure-activity relationships, developing scalable and sustainable extraction protocols, and advancing clinical translation. Future research should prioritize the discovery of novel marine bioactives, the enzymatic production of oligosaccharides, efficient purification of algal proteins and peptides, and the scaling-up of industrial processes to fully realize the pharmaceutical and biotechnological potential of marine macroalgae.
Related
- Phytochemical Diversity, Extraction Strategies, Pharmacological Activities of Larix sibirica: A Comprehensive Review
- Insect CncC: Roles in Redox Homeostasis, Physiology, and Insecticide Resistance, with Prospects for Biotechnological Applications
- From Ethnobotany to Pharmacology: A Comprehensive Review of Selected Asteraceae Species Highlighting Phytochemical Composition, Traditional Uses, and Diverse Pharmacological Activities
- Phytochemical Profiling and Safety Assessment of Maerua crassifolia Forssk. Aerial Parts Infusion With Pharmacological Validation of Its Analgesic and Anti‐Inflammatory Activities
- GC-MS Profiling, Evaluation of Hypoglycemic, Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Activities and Pharmacological Investigation of Leaves
BibTeX
@article{guan2026green,
title = {{Green Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Marine Macroalgae: Chemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Biotechnological Applications}},
author = {Yongjing Guan and Yuxin Guo and Luoxuan Lin and Lizhu Zhang and Weichao Chen and Chao Zhao},
journal = {Marine Drugs},
year = {2026},
month = jun,
doi = {10.3390/md24060198},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/md24060198},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Green Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Marine Macroalgae: Chemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Biotechnological Applications
AU - Yongjing Guan
AU - Yuxin Guo
AU - Luoxuan Lin
AU - Lizhu Zhang
AU - Weichao Chen
AU - Chao Zhao
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/06/04
JO - Marine Drugs
DO - 10.3390/md24060198
UR - https://doi.org/10.3390/md24060198
AB - Marine macroalgae are widely distributed renewable resources that offer substantial economic and environmental benefits. This review comprehensively examines seaweeds from the phyla Chlorophyta, Heterokontophyta, and Rhodophyta, highlighting key advances and persistent challenges. Global seaweed production is highly concentrated: Asia accounts for 97% of the total, with China as the dominant producer. These seaweeds synthesize a diverse array of bioactive compounds, including sulfated polysaccharides, phlorotannins, terpenoids, proteins, peptides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and pigments. Notably, brown algae represent the richest source of both phlorotannins and polyunsaturated fatty acids. To recover these valuable compounds efficiently, a range of advanced green extraction techniques have been developed, such as enzyme-assisted, microwave-assisted, ultrasound-assisted, and supercritical fluid extraction, along with natural deep eutectic solvents. These methods consistently outperform conventional approaches in terms of yield, extraction time, and environmental sustainability. The isolated compounds exhibit a broad spectrum of validated pharmacological activities, including immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, antitumor, and antiviral effects. Consequently, they have found diverse applications in functional foods, biomedicine, cosmetics, agriculture, aquaculture, and environmental protection. Despite this promise, critical challenges remain in elucidating structure-activity relationships, developing scalable and sustainable extraction protocols, and advancing clinical translation. Future research should prioritize the discovery of novel marine bioactives, the enzymatic production of oligosaccharides, efficient purification of algal proteins and peptides, and the scaling-up of industrial processes to fully realize the pharmaceutical and biotechnological potential of marine macroalgae.
SN - 1660-3397
ER -