Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology
Microalgae are emerging as a key player in healthcare, functional foods, and sustainable biotech due to their capacity to produce bioactive compounds like β-glucans, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants in an eco-friendly manner. This review comprehensively discusses the role of microalgae in healt...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1557298/full |
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| author | Chao Li Chao Li Chao Li Ming Du Yujie Han Wentao Sun Zixi Chen Qiong Liu Hui Zhu Liqing Zhao Shuangfei Li Jiangxin Wang |
| author_facet | Chao Li Chao Li Chao Li Ming Du Yujie Han Wentao Sun Zixi Chen Qiong Liu Hui Zhu Liqing Zhao Shuangfei Li Jiangxin Wang |
| author_sort | Chao Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microalgae are emerging as a key player in healthcare, functional foods, and sustainable biotech due to their capacity to produce bioactive compounds like β-glucans, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants in an eco-friendly manner. This review comprehensively discusses the role of microalgae in healthcare and functional foods, focusing particularly on β-glucan therapeutics, drug delivery innovations, and synthetic biology applications. In healthcare, microalgae-derived compounds show immense promise for treating diseases, boosting immunity, and tackling oxidative stress. Euglena-derived paramylon, a type of β-glucan, has shown potential in various medical applications, including immunomodulation and anticancer therapy. Synthetic biology and bioprocess engineering are enhancing microalgae’s therapeutic and nutritional value, with applications in drug delivery and personalized medicine. To maximize the potential of microalgae, further research and development are needed to address scalability, regulatory alignment, and consumer acceptance, with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainable practices to align healthcare innovation with environmental conservation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b744fa1546c8426fae435386f81bbdd1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1663-9812 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Pharmacology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b744fa1546c8426fae435386f81bbdd12025-08-20T02:02:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Pharmacology1663-98122025-03-011610.3389/fphar.2025.15572981557298Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biologyChao Li0Chao Li1Chao Li2Ming Du3Yujie Han4Wentao Sun5Zixi Chen6Qiong Liu7Hui Zhu8Liqing Zhao9Shuangfei Li10Jiangxin Wang11College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hanshan Normal University, Chaozhou, Guangdong, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Hanshan Normal University, Chaozhou, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource and Eco-environmental Science, Shenzhen Engineering Laboratory for Marine Algal Biotechnology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, ChinaMicroalgae are emerging as a key player in healthcare, functional foods, and sustainable biotech due to their capacity to produce bioactive compounds like β-glucans, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants in an eco-friendly manner. This review comprehensively discusses the role of microalgae in healthcare and functional foods, focusing particularly on β-glucan therapeutics, drug delivery innovations, and synthetic biology applications. In healthcare, microalgae-derived compounds show immense promise for treating diseases, boosting immunity, and tackling oxidative stress. Euglena-derived paramylon, a type of β-glucan, has shown potential in various medical applications, including immunomodulation and anticancer therapy. Synthetic biology and bioprocess engineering are enhancing microalgae’s therapeutic and nutritional value, with applications in drug delivery and personalized medicine. To maximize the potential of microalgae, further research and development are needed to address scalability, regulatory alignment, and consumer acceptance, with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainable practices to align healthcare innovation with environmental conservation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1557298/fullmicroalgaehealth carefunctional foodsβ-glucandrug deliverysynthetic biology |
| spellingShingle | Chao Li Chao Li Chao Li Ming Du Yujie Han Wentao Sun Zixi Chen Qiong Liu Hui Zhu Liqing Zhao Shuangfei Li Jiangxin Wang Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology Frontiers in Pharmacology microalgae health care functional foods β-glucan drug delivery synthetic biology |
| title | Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology |
| title_full | Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology |
| title_fullStr | Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology |
| title_short | Microalgae in health care and functional foods: β-glucan applications, innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology |
| title_sort | microalgae in health care and functional foods β glucan applications innovations in drug delivery and synthetic biology |
| topic | microalgae health care functional foods β-glucan drug delivery synthetic biology |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1557298/full |
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