Carotenoids from Marine Microalgae: A Valuable Natural Source for the Prevention of Chronic Diseases

• Published in: Marine drugs Vol. 13; no. 8; pp. 5128 - 5155
• Main Authors: Raposo, Maria Filomena de Jesus, de Morais, Alcina Maria Miranda Bernardo, de Morais, Rui Manuel Santos Costa
• Format: Journal Article Book Review
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 14.08.2015; MDPI
• Subjects: aging; Animals; Antioxidants - metabolism; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; astaxanthin; Biological Products - metabolism; Biological Products - pharmacology; Biological Products - therapeutic use; carotenoids; Carotenoids - metabolism; Carotenoids - pharmacology; Carotenoids - therapeutic use; Chronic Disease - prevention & control; chronic diseases; free radicals; fucoxanthin; Humans; inflammatory diseases; marine microalga; Microalgae - metabolism; oxidative stress; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Review; RNS; ROS; β-carotene; free radicals; carotenoids; chronic diseases; RNS; ROS; inflammatory diseases; β-carotene; aging; fucoxanthin; marine microalga; oxidative stress; astaxanthin
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md13085128

Epidemiological studies have shown a relation between antioxidants and the prevention of several chronic diseases. Microalgae are a potential novel source of bioactive molecules, including a wide range of different carotenoids that can be used as nutraceuticals, food supplements and novel food products. The objective of this review is (i) to update the research that has been carried out on the most known carotenoids produced by marine microalgae, including reporting on their high potentialities to produce other less known important compounds; (ii) to compile the work that has been done in order to establish some relationship between carotenoids and oxidative protection and treatment; (iii) to summarize the association of oxidative stress and the various reactive species including free radicals with several human diseases; and (iv) to provide evidence of the potential of carotenoids from marine microalgae to be used as therapeutics to treat or prevent these oxidative stress-related diseases.