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Marine Drugs
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High-Value Algae Products, 2nd Edition
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High-Value Algae Products, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine-Derived Ingredients for Drugs, Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 April 2026 | Viewed by 2461

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Xiaxia Di

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
NIVA―Norsk institutt for vannforskning/Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway
Interests: algae; biomass; marine natural products; anti-inflammatory; bioactivity; biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Microalgae and macroalgae have drawn increasing research interest over the last few decades due to their ability to produce high-value products such as carotenoids, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and proteins. They have become popular from both application and fundamental points of view as high-value compounds that can be applied in the formulation of numerous bioproducts such as nutraceuticals, animal feed, agriculture biofertilizers, cosmetics, biomedicine, and textile products. However, only a minute fraction of algae has been investigated and developed into applications. Given the vast taxonomic diversity of algae, most have not yet been explored; therefore, we do not currently have a full understanding of the associated chemical diversity. Hence, it is essential to expand upon the current paradigm in research to assess the potential of algae.

Based on the success of the Special Issue "High-Value Algae Products" (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/marinedrugs/special_issues/7CN55EOSGQ), as well as the critical relevance of this topic, we are pleased to announce the second edition of this Special Issue. This Special Issue aims to collect original research articles and review papers which focus on high-value products derived from marine microalgae and marine macroalgae. We welcome work on strain identification, culture optimization, and the extraction, isolation, structure elucidation, and potential application of high-value products.

Dr. Xiaxia Di
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • seaweed
  • microalgae
  • biochemical composition
  • cultivation
  • industrial application
  • biotechnology
  • biomass
  • biological activity

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 3952 KB  
Article
Creating an Improved Diatoxanthin Production Line by Knocking Out CpSRP54 in the zep3 Background in the Marine Diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum
by Charlotte Volpe, Zdenka Bartosova, Ralph Kissen, Per Winge and Marianne Nymark
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(11), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23110419 - 29 Oct 2025
Viewed by 356
Abstract
Diatoxanthin is a photoprotective carotenoid found in a few groups of microalgae displaying in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, making it a promising candidate for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. However, large-scale production is currently nonexistent because of two major challenges: Instability during [...] Read more.
Diatoxanthin is a photoprotective carotenoid found in a few groups of microalgae displaying in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, making it a promising candidate for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. However, large-scale production is currently nonexistent because of two major challenges: Instability during microalgae harvesting, where diatoxanthin is rapidly converted back to its inactive precursor diadinoxanthin under non-stressful light conditions, and dependence on prolonged exposure to high-intensity light, which is costly and technically challenging during indoor high-cell-density cultivation. The first limitation was previously addressed by knocking out zeaxanthin epoxidase 3 (ZEP3) in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, resulting in a mutant that stabilized diatoxanthin under non-stressful light conditions. Here, we report an improved diatoxanthin production line where both of the described challenges have been overcome. This was achieved by creating P. tricornutum mutants where the phenotype of the zep3 mutant was combined with the light-sensitive phenotype of the chloroplast signal recognition particle 54 (cpsrp54) mutant. Growth rates were maintained at wild-type levels at light intensities ≤ 150 µmol photons m−2 s−1 in the zep3cpsrp54 mutants, but prolonged medium light exposure resulted in a 1.5- and 7-fold increase in diatoxanthin concentration compared with zep3 and wild-type, respectively. When returned to low light, the zep3cpsrp54 cultures retained ~80% of their accumulated diatoxanthin. The improved production lines allow for diatoxanthin accumulation without the use of high-intensity light and with limited loss of diatoxanthin when returned to non-stressful light conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Value Algae Products, 2nd Edition)
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11 pages, 2648 KB  
Article
Therapeutic Potential of DPHC, A Brown Seaweed Polyphenol, Against TNF-α-Induced Inflammatory Muscle Loss
by Minji Kim, Won-Woo Lee, Kil-Nam Kim, Young-Mog Kim, You-Jin Jeon, Fengqi Yang, Seo-Young Kim and Hyo-Geun Lee
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(10), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23100376 - 26 Sep 2025
Viewed by 430
Abstract
Inflammatory muscle loss results from excessive inflammatory responses, causing muscle damage and weakness. In the current investigation, we evaluated the protective effects of diphlorethohydroxycarmalol (DPHC) against tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced skeletal muscle inflammation and muscle loss and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, the [...] Read more.
Inflammatory muscle loss results from excessive inflammatory responses, causing muscle damage and weakness. In the current investigation, we evaluated the protective effects of diphlorethohydroxycarmalol (DPHC) against tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced skeletal muscle inflammation and muscle loss and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, the effect of DPHC on swimming performance was confirmed under TNF-α-induced inflammatory muscle loss-conditioned zebrafish by assessing the swimming number, distance moved, time spent swimming, frequency of swimming zebrafishes in an upstream swim track (Zone A). In vivo behavioral endurance test results indicated that TNF-α treatment significantly decreased the number of swimming zebrafish and swimming distance in Zone A compared with the Control. Meanwhile, the DPHC treatment significantly increased the number of swimming zebrafish and swimming distance in Zone A compared to TNF-α-induced zebrafish. These findings indicate that DPHC treatment effectively improved the swimming performance of TNF-α-induced zebrafish. In an additional study, TNF-α significantly induced inflammatory muscle loss by upregulating nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) associated proteins and MuRF-1 in the skeletal muscle tissues of TNF-α-induced zebrafish. However, DPHC administration significantly counteracted TNF-α-induced inflammation and muscle loss by downregulating NF-Κb and MAPK-associated proteins, as well as the muscle degradation-related proteins MuRF-1 and MAFbx, in the skeletal muscle tissues of TNF-α-induced zebrafish. In summary, our research findings demonstrated that DPHC from Ishige okamurae could be used for the development of nutraceuticals or functional foods targeting inflammatory muscle loss. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Value Algae Products, 2nd Edition)
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Review

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40 pages, 7627 KB  
Review
Beyond Nutrition: The Therapeutic Promise of Seaweed-Derived Polysaccharides Against Bacterial and Viral Threats
by Leonel Pereira and Ana Valado
Mar. Drugs 2025, 23(10), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/md23100407 - 17 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1414
Abstract
In recent years, seaweed-derived polysaccharides have gained recognition as renewed potent bioactive compounds with significant antibacterial and antiviral properties. These polysaccharides include carrageenan, agar, agarose, and porphyran from red seaweed; fucoidan, laminarin, and alginate (alginic acid) from brown seaweed; and ulvan from green [...] Read more.
In recent years, seaweed-derived polysaccharides have gained recognition as renewed potent bioactive compounds with significant antibacterial and antiviral properties. These polysaccharides include carrageenan, agar, agarose, and porphyran from red seaweed; fucoidan, laminarin, and alginate (alginic acid) from brown seaweed; and ulvan from green seaweed. Their diverse and complex structures, shaped by sulfation patterns, glycosidic linkages, and monosaccharide composition, contribute to their broad-spectrum biological activities, including antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and prebiotic functions. This review explores the structural characteristics of these marine polysaccharides, reported in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities, and the mechanisms underlying their antibacterial and antiviral effects. Additionally, the extraction, purification methods, and commercial applications of these bioactive polysaccharides are discussed. By integrating recent advances and highlighting their multifunctionality, this review underscores the translational promise of seaweed-derived polysaccharides as sustainable, natural agents in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance and infectious diseases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Value Algae Products, 2nd Edition)
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