Microalgae are recognized as a relevant source of bioactive compounds. Among these bioactive products, lipids, mainly glycolipids, have been shown to present immunomodulatory properties with the potential to mitigate chronic inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of polar lipids isolated from Nannochloropsis oceanica and Chlorococcum amblystomatis. Three fractions enriched in (1) digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), (2) monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), and (3) diacylglyceryl-trimethylhomoserine (DGTS) and phospholipids (PL) were obtained from the total lipid extracts (TE) of N. oceanica and C. amblystomatis, and their anti-inflammatory effect was assessed by analyzing their capacity to counteract nitric oxide (NO) production and transcription of pro-inflammatory genes Nos2, Ptgs2, Tnfa, and Il1b in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. For both microalgae, TE and Fractions 1 and 3 strongly inhibited NO production, although to different extents. A strong reduction in the LPS-induced transcription of Nos2, Ptgs2, Tnfa, and Il1b was observed for N. oceanica and C. amblystomatis lipids. The most active fractions were the DGTS-and-PL-enriched fraction from N. oceanica and the DGDG-and-SQDG-enriched fraction from C. amblystomatis. Our results reveal that microalgae lipids have strong anti-inflammatory capacity and may be explored as functional ingredients or nutraceuticals, offering a natural solution to tackle chronic inflammation-associated diseases.

Hass avocado peel and seed, often treated as agro-industrial waste, are emerging sources of valuable lipids with potential functional applications across food, nutraceutical, and cosmetics industries. As sustainability emerges as a key point in industrial product development, the use of food-grade and environmentally friendly solvents is essential for recovering functional compounds from these underutilized matrices. To promote the sustainable reuse and the valorization of avocado by-products, this study analyzed the lipid profile and biological potential of ethanol extracts from seed and peel of Hass avocado cultivated in Portugal obtained through ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), a green and food-grade technique. The extraction efficiency was compared to the Folch-like method, a benchmark for lipid extraction. Lipid profiles of Hass by-product extracts were comprehensively characterized by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (C18-RP-HPLC-MS/MS). Furthermore, their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties were assessed. Although green extracts yielded lower lipid content due to co-extraction of non-lipid components, their lipid profile and anti-inflammatory effects, including the inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity, reduction of nitric oxide ( ^· NO) production, and downregulation of Il1β and Il6 gene transcription in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages, closely resembled those obtained by the conventional extraction method. Additionally, green extracts from Hass peel and seed exhibited remarkable antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities, further underscoring their potential as a source of functional lipid ingredients for health-promoting applications. UAE emerges as a sustainable method for the reutilization of avocado by-products, aligning with clean-label and circular bioeconomy principles.

The red alga Gelidium corneum is commonly harvested for agar extraction, producing significant biomass residue that remains underutilized. Gelidium corneum and its residue represent promising sources of high-value compounds, including lipid ingredients, encompassing omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, with potential applications in foods and cosmetics. Algae lipids are quite diverse and complex, however the lipidome of G. corneum and its residue, along with their bioactive potential, remain largely unexplored. This study characterized the lipid signatures of G. corneum and its residue after agar extraction using reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (C18-RP-HPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for esterified fatty acids (FAs) profiling. Despite low lipid content (<1% dry weight), G. corneum exhibited a higher glycolipid content, while the residue was richer in phospholipids and triacylglycerols. Nine FAs were identified, with FA 20:4 n-6 and FA 20:5 n-3 more abundant in G. corneum, and FA 18:1 n-9 and FA 18:2 n-6 in the residue, highlighting their nutritional and functional values. Their lipid profile comprised more than 400 lipid molecular species, following the trend of more glycolipids in G. corneum and phospholipids in the residue. Complex lipids with bioactive properties were identified in both matrices, expanding our knowledge of the lipid signature of this seaweed. Gelidium corneum lipids showed higher antioxidant scavenging activity and great anti-inflammatory potential by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2 activity. Although neither matrix inhibited α-amylase, residue lipids effectively inhibited α-glucosidase activity. These findings emphasize G. corneum and its residue as sources of high-value lipids for sustainable biotechnological applications, including foods, nutraceuticals and cosmetics.