QUALEN Bulletin of Marine and Fisheries Postharvest and Biotechnology
REVI EW ARTI CLE
Published Online: 24 May 2021 Page 41 of 55
*
Department of Chemistry, Kulliyyah of Science,
International Islamic University Malaysia,
25200 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
*
Corresponding Author:
deny@iium.edu.my
Received: 11 September 2020
Accepted: 22 April 2021
Published: 24 May 2021
©
Squalen Bulletin of Marine and Fisheries
Postharvest and Biotechnology, 2021.
Accreditation Number:148/M/KPT/2020.
ISSN: 2089-5690, e-ISSN: 2406-9272.
doi: 10.15578/squalen.514
OPEN ACCESS
SQUALEN BULLETIN
I ntroduction
Seaweeds, also known as macroalgae, are
composed of large, diverse macroscopic, eukaryotic,
photosynthetic and non-vascular marine organisms.
Garcia-Vaquero, Lopez-Alonso, and Hayes (2017) had
listed 10,000 different species of seaweeds, which
occupy the littoral zone. The structure of seaweeds is
varied, as some are filamentous with a few millimeters
in height, while others have huge fronds up to 60-
meter long. Also, the seaweeds’ chemical structure and
bioactive compounds are varied based on their habitats,
which are either in the harsh marine or terrestrial
environment (Garcia-Vaquero et al., 2017). Seaweeds
are classified into three higher taxa, namely Chlorophyta
(green seaweed), Phaeophyta (brown seaweed) and
Rhodophyta (red seaweed), based on their
pigmentation.
Bioactive Compounds, Cosmeceutical And
Nutraceutical Applications of Green Seaweed
Species ( Chlorophyta )
Fatin Shazwani Ruslan, Deny Susanti *, Normawaty Mohammad Noor, Nurul Iman
Aminudin, and Muhammad Taher
Abstract
Seaweeds are valuable marine plants that have garnered much attention from
the public due to their high bioactive, nutrients and minerals content. Seaweeds
have been used in multiple applications, including in cosmeceutical, nutraceutical
and pharmaceutical industries. Nevertheless, this review will focus on the
bioactive compounds of Chlorophyta and their potential application in
nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries. Chlorophyta are believed to possess
a significant amount of nutrients and minerals, sufficient to meet the daily
requirements of nutrients and minerals in the human body. Considering the
nutritional aspect, deficiency in nutrients may lead to severe ailments, including
heart disease, neurological disorder and cancer. The main compounds studied
in this review are polysaccharides, proteins, amino acids, lipids, fatty acids,
pigments, minerals, vitamins and secondary metabolites. Among all,
polysaccharides are the most exploited compounds and used in many advanced
applications in the nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries. This review
also offers insights into the beneficial biological properties of Chlorophyta,
highlighting their potential in cosmeceutical and nutraceutical applications.
Further research is required to highlight the Chlorophyta sp. aquaculture, its
extraction method, and the most targeted bioactive compounds from the species.
Therefore, the challenge is to increase public awareness of the promising
application of this species in the nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries.
Keywords: chlorophyta, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical
Seaweeds have been consumed as a type of sea
vegetable in most countries such as Japan, China and
Korea. They have become a source of hydrocolloids
(alginate, carrageenan, and agar), thickening and gelling
agents and had been utilized in industrial and foods
across Western countries (Pereira, 2018). At present,
there is a high demand for seaweeds as many quarters
have begun consuming healthy and ‘natural foodstuffs’,
mainly because seaweeds are rich in minerals, vitamins,
and proteins. Additionally, the French consumed several
types of macroalgae and microalgae in their meals as
vegetables or condiments. They have also been widely
known and used as a source of fertilizer and thickening
agents. Meanwhile, in Japan, seaweeds make up to
10-25 % of food intake as they used seaweeds as sushi
wrappings, seasonings, condiments and vegetables
(Miyamoto, Yabuta, Kwak, Enomoto, & Watanabe,
2009). Seaweeds species have been in high demand in