New Methods in Extraction and Isolation of Marine Natural Products

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biotechnology Related to Drug Discovery or Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 1102

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Experimental Center Grice Hutchinson, Institute of Blue Biotechnology and Development (IBYDA), University of Malaga, Lomas de San Julián, 2, 29004 Malaga, Spain
Interests: antioxidant activity; bioactive compounds; green extraction; nutricosmeceutical; seaweed

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Guest Editor Assistant
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
Interests: biocatalysis; enzyme activity; green extraction; microbiology; proteins purification

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Marine ecosystems are home to an extraordinary variety of organisms, producing bioactive compounds with unique chemical structures and potential applications in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics. This Special Issue, entitled “New Methods in Extraction and Isolation of Marine Natural Products”, focuses on advancing extraction and isolation techniques to better harness these bioresources. The aim is to explore innovative, sustainable methods that maximize yield and purity while minimizing environmental impact. Contributions will address cutting-edge approaches, such as green extraction technologies, high-efficiency isolation methods, and novel purification processes. By refining these methods, researchers can access bioactive compounds, driving discoveries that may lead to novel therapeutics and other beneficial products. We invite submissions that showcase experimental research, reviews, and technology advancements within this evolving field.

Dr. Débora Tomazi Pereira
Guest Editor

Dr. Paz García-García
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • green extraction and isolation of marine natural products
  • marine extraction methods
  • isolation techniques
  • marine natural products
  • bioactive marine compounds
  • marine chemistry

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1214 KiB  
Article
Microwave Pretreatment-Induced Significant Nutrient and Metabolite Changes in Sea Cucumber Apostichopus japonicus
by Dairong Song, Fang Liu, Airong Jia, Xue Liu, Tingting Cui, Hui Zhang and Miansong Zhang
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(6), 249; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23060249 - 11 Jun 2025
Viewed by 294
Abstract
The body wall of sea cucumbers is rich in nutrients and small-molecule metabolites; however, traditional hot water pretreatment often leads to nutrient loss. To optimise processing techniques, this study compared the effects of microwave pretreatment and conventional hot water pretreatment on nutrient retention [...] Read more.
The body wall of sea cucumbers is rich in nutrients and small-molecule metabolites; however, traditional hot water pretreatment often leads to nutrient loss. To optimise processing techniques, this study compared the effects of microwave pretreatment and conventional hot water pretreatment on nutrient retention and metabolite profiles. Untreated sea cucumber body wall samples served as controls. The samples were subjected to microwave pretreatment (4 W/g, 12 min) or hot water pretreatment (100 °C, 10 min). Nutrient retention rates and metabolite variations were systematically analysed. Microwave pretreatment demonstrated superior retention of protein (96%), crude fat (92%), total sugar (55%), and saponins (40%). It also promotes the accumulation of small-molecule metabolites, including spermidine, tagatose, and melatonin. Notably, the lysine and methionine retention rates were enhanced by 10-fold and 12-fold, respectively, while the vitamin A, vitamin B3, and melatonin retention increased by 2.4-fold, 2-fold, and 3-fold, significantly outperforming traditional pretreatment. These findings highlight the potential of microwave pretreatment as an efficient alternative to conventional methods for preserving the nutritional and functional components of sea cucumbers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Methods in Extraction and Isolation of Marine Natural Products)
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25 pages, 3401 KiB  
Article
Biochemical Composition and Alkaline Extraction Optimization of Soluble Bioactive Compounds from the Green Algae Caulerpa cylindraceae
by Amani Tahar, Haïfa Zghida, Débora Tomazi Pereira, Nathalie Korbee, Helen Treichel, Félix L. Figueroa and Lotfi Achour
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(5), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23050208 - 14 May 2025
Viewed by 413
Abstract
There is a growing interest in studying the bioactive compounds of invasive green macroalga Caulerpa cylindracea due to their potential biotechnological applications. Algal samples were collected from two sites and seasons. Elemental analysis showed the abundance of carbon in the raw material as [...] Read more.
There is a growing interest in studying the bioactive compounds of invasive green macroalga Caulerpa cylindracea due to their potential biotechnological applications. Algal samples were collected from two sites and seasons. Elemental analysis showed the abundance of carbon in the raw material as a source of carbohydrates. The total protein content in different samples ranged from 8.17 to 9.98%. Total lipids in different samples were around 2%. Fatty acid (FA) results revealed the presence of various types, including omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA. Furthermore, an alkaline hydrolysis optimization using response surface methodology was investigated to extract soluble compounds. It showed that the best combination for polyphenols and ABTS was 12.5% sodium carbonate (SC) at 100 °C for 8 h; however, the best combination for proteins and carbohydrates was 7.5% SC at 100 °C for 5 h. A combination of ultrasound pretreatments was carried out to assess the enhancement of the contents. Thus, an increasing amount was recorded for polyphenols and antioxidant capacity. Ultrasound pretreatment results in decreasing extraction time for all compounds. Results showed that the invasive seaweeds, causing environmental impacts in the Mediterranean Sea, represent an interesting source of bioactive compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Methods in Extraction and Isolation of Marine Natural Products)
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