Microalgae in modern cancer therapy: Current knowledge.

Area of Science:

• Marine Biotechnology
• Cancer Research
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Cancer remains a significant health concern, with current treatments like chemotherapy and radiation causing severe side effects, including immune system compromise.
• Alternative and complementary medicine, particularly compounds from marine flora like microalgae, are being explored for their anti-cancer activities.
• Microalgae possess diverse bioactive molecules, including polysaccharides, vitamins, and sterols, making their biomass a potential source for anti-cancer drug development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review microalgal species with demonstrated anti-tumor activity.
• To identify tumor cell lines affected by microalgal extracts.
• To summarize the inhibitory effects of microalgal extracts on cancer cell cycle and proliferation.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating microalgal anti-cancer properties.
• Analysis of reported anti-tumor activities of various microalgal species.
• Compilation of data on affected tumor cell lines and effective extract concentrations.

Main Results:

• Several microalgal species exhibit significant anti-tumor effects.
• Microalgal extracts have shown efficacy in altering various cancer cell lines.
• These extracts can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) through caspase-dependent or independent pathways.
• Microalgal compounds inhibit cancer cell cycle progression and proliferation.

Conclusions:

• Microalgae represent a valuable and largely untapped resource for developing novel anti-cancer therapeutics.
• Microalgal extracts demonstrate potential in cancer treatment by inducing apoptosis and inhibiting proliferation.
• Further research into microalgal bioactive compounds could lead to more effective and less toxic anti-malignant drugs.