Halogenated compounds from seaweed, a biological overview

• Tipo: Capítulo ou Parte de Livro
• Data: 2011

Autores

Grosso, C (Autor) Outra; Vinholes, J (Autor) Outra; Valentao, P (Autor) FFUP; Andrade, PB (Autor) FFUP

Livro

Título: Seaweed: Ecology, Nutrient Composition and Medicinal Uses

Páginas: 163-184

ISBN: 9781614708780

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge

Scopus - 2 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-008-YSP

Abstract (EN): Seaweeds are a renewable marine resource recognized as a rich provider of valuable compounds. Since they live in a competitive environment, marine algae developed different strategies to survive, including the biosynthesis of a variety of compounds from different metabolic pathways. Indeed, more than 15000 metabolites were already determined, belonging to several groups of primary and secondary metabolites. For this fact the interest of pharmacologists, physiologists and chemists in this group of living organisms has risen. The research on natural products of marine origin has shown that seaweeds are of unlimited potential for textile, fuel, plastics, paint, varnish, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food industries. The last three take advantage from the several biological properties attributed to seaweeds. The present chapter will focus on seaweeds' halogenated compounds that are naturally produced by Phaeophyta, Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta. Halogenation can occur in several classes of metabolites, like indoles, terpenes, acetogenins, phenols, fatty acids and volatile hydrocarbons. The incorporation of a halogen in such compounds can induce/increase their biological properties, like antimicrobial and antitumor. Consequently, the consumption of seaweeds and their based products constitute a benefit to human health and therefore they are seen as a potential medicinal food of the 21st century.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica