In this study crude extracts of Turbinaria decurrens, Padina pavonica, Sargassum muticum and Sargassum acinarium (Phaeophyta); Ulva lactuca (Chlorophyta) and Pterocladia capillacea (Rhodophyta) seaweeds were tested to evaluate their antioxidant properties and antidiabetic potential on α-amylase and α-glucosidase starch hydrolyzing enzymes. The results showed that all analyzed seaweeds exhibited antioxidant effects using DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), reducing power and total antioxidant capacity assays in addition to antidiabetic activity that all depended on the species and the extract solvent. Among the tested extracts, acetone extract of Turbinaria decurrens showed the highest antioxidant activity and inhibitory effects for α-amylase (96.1%) and α-glucosidase (97.4%), respectively which was related with its total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. In vitro, the extract showed no toxicity against fibroblast normal cell lines at lower concentration of 250 µg/ml. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrum analysis (GC-MS) of this acetone extract showed the presence of different bioactive compounds mainly cyclotrisiloxane, hexamethyl which could be responsible for its antioxidant and antidiabetic activities. The study results suggest that brown seaweeds especially T. decurrens can be used as antioxidant ingredients and as potent reducing drug for postprandial hyperglycemia.

Currently, algae arouse a growing interest in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic area due to the fact that they have a great diversity of bioactive compounds with the potential for pharmacological and nutraceutical applications. Due to lifestyle modifications brought on by rapid urbanization, diabetes mellitus, a metabolic illness, is the third largest cause of death globally. The hunt for an efficient natural-based antidiabetic therapy is crucial to battling diabetes and the associated consequences due to the unfavorable side effects of currently available antidiabetic medications. Finding the possible advantages of algae for the control of diabetes is crucial for the creation of natural drugs. Many of algae’s metabolic processes produce bioactive secondary metabolites, which give algae their diverse chemical and biological features. Numerous studies have demonstrated the antioxidant and antidiabetic benefits of algae, mostly by blocking carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme activity, such as α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Additionally, bioactive components from algae can lessen diabetic symptoms in vivo. Therefore, the current review concentrates on the role of various secondary bioactive substances found naturally in algae and their potential as antioxidants and antidiabetic materials, as well as the urgent need to apply these substances in the pharmaceutical industry.

Cyanobacteria can play an important role in sustainable agriculture by improving crop growth and production, as well as environmental quality. The current study was conducted to evaluate the role of Spirulina platensis extract in the improvement of growth, photosynthetic capacity and yield of Lupinus luteus. Different concentrations (0.25, 0.5 and 1.0%) of S. platensis methanolic extract were used for priming seeds and foliar spraying applications. Growth, photosynthetic pigment content and activity were recorded at 35 days of cultivation. The yield measurements and protein profile of seeds were performed at 60 days. For both treatments, the lower concentration (0.25%) of the extract was the most successful in improving all growth metrics and the phytohormonal level of L. luteus. Photosynthetic pigment and capacity, nutrient content and yield components of L. luteus were improved with the extract of 0.25% concentration. However, the growth was significantly inhibited at the higher concentration (1.0%), recording lower values of the measured characters than the control. A positive correlation was observed between the total chlorophyll, photosynthetic rate, yield parameters and carbohydrate accumulation by the application of the S. platensis extracts. The protein profile of seeds revealed that spraying treatment triggered the appearance of a new band of 30.56 KDa. The promotion of growth could be attributed to the nutrients, bioactive molecules and phytohormones in the extract. The use of Spirulina-based stimulators is reliable with the concept of sustainable agriculture by enhancing photosynthetic pigment content and rate ensuring the correlation between the yield and those measured parameters of L. luteus.

The ethyl acetate, n hexane and methanol extracts of six cyanobacterial species isolated from paddy fields in Egypt were assessed for their antimicrobial activity, using disc diffusion method. Oscillatoria acuminata, Oscillatoria amphigranulata and Spirulina platensis methanolic extracts showed the highest inhibition zones. Minimum inhibitory concentration of O. amphigranulata extract recorded lower values using agar streak dilution method. O. acuminata methanolic extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity (6.58 and 34.60 % using DPPH (2, 2- diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS+ (2, 2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) methods, respectively, followed by O. amphigranulata then S. platensis. Similarly, O. acuminata methanolic extract showed very strong cytotoxicity activity against HepG2 and HCT-116 cell lines and strong activity with MCF-7 cell lines. O. amphigranulata extract showed strong cytotoxicity for HepG2 and HCT-116 as well as moderate cytotoxicity for MCF-7 cell line. Whereas, S. platensis extract exhibited moderate cytotoxicity for all cell lines. Results of gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy analysis pointed out that the potential activity of these cyanobacterial extracts might be attributed to a synergistic effect between their pronounced contents of fatty acids, alkaloids, phytol, hydrocarbons, phenolics and phthalates, especially fatty acids. We recommend cyanobacteria as a rich source of natural products with potent pharmacological and medical applications.

This research evaluated the antifungal effectiveness of Arthrospira platensis ethanol, methanol, ethyl acetate and acetone extracts against the tested pathogenic fungi (Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum and Malassezia furfur). Antioxidant and cytotoxicity effectiveness of A. platensis extracts against four distinct cell lines were also assessed. Methanol extract of A. platensis exhibited the highest inhibition zones against Candida albicans as measured by the well diffusion method. A transmission electron micrograph of the treated group of Candida cells with A. platensis methanolic extract showed mild lysis and vacuolation of the cytoplasmic organelles. In vivo, after induced infection of mice by C. albicans and treatment with A. platensis methanolic extract cream, the skin layer emerged with the removal of Candida spherical plastopores. The extract of A. platensis recorded the highest antioxidant activity using the DPPH (2, 2- diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging method (IC₅₀ 28 mg/mL). A cytotoxicity test using a MTT assay showed that the A. platensis extract had strong cytotoxic activity against the HepG2 cell line (IC₅₀ 20.56 ± 1.7 μg/mL) and moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF7 and the Hela cell (IC₅₀ 27.99 ± 2.1 μg/mL). Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) results revealed that the effective activity of A. platensis extract could be linked to a synergistic impact between their prominent composition as alkaloids, phytol, fatty acids hydrocarbons, phenolics and phthalates. A. platensis extract contains active metabolites that constitute a promising source of antifungal, antioxidant and anti-proliferative compounds for the pharmaceutical drug industry.