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Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry

Editor-in-Chief

ISSN (Print): 1389-5575
ISSN (Online): 1875-5607

Nutritional and Medical Applications of Spirulina Microalgae

Author(s): S.M. Hoseini, K. Khosravi-Darani and M.R. Mozafari

Volume 13, Issue 8, 2013

Page: [1231 - 1237] Pages: 7

DOI: 10.2174/1389557511313080009

Price: $65

Abstract

Spirulina spp. and its processing products are employed in agriculture, food industry, pharmaceutics, perfumery and medicine. Spirulina has several pharmacological activities such as antimicrobial (including antiviral and antibacterial), anticancer, metalloprotective (prevention of heavy-metal poisoning against Cd, Pb, Fe, Hg), as well as immunostimulant and antioxidant effects due to its rich content of protein, polysaccharide, lipid, essential amino and fatty acids, dietary minerals and vitamins. This article serves as an overview, introducing the basic biochemical composition of this algae and moves to its medical applications. For each application the basic description of disease, mechanism of damage, particular content of Spirulina spp. for treatment, in vivo and/or in vitro usage, factors associated with therapeutic role, problems encountered and advantages are given.

Keywords: anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant, chemical composition, immunostimulant, metalloprotective, Spirulina.

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