Seagrass Meadows: Prospective Candidates for Bioactive Molecules.

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Pharmacology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Seagrass meadows are vital marine ecosystems supporting diverse organisms.
• Seagrasses and their associated microbiomes are sources of bioactive compounds.
• These compounds show potential for treating various human diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of seagrass biochemical and phytochemical applications.
• To highlight the therapeutic potential of seagrass-derived compounds.
• To identify future research directions for biomedical applications.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of global studies over the last two decades.
• Analysis of biochemical and phytochemical properties of seagrasses.
• Evaluation of documented biomedical and therapeutic activities.

Main Results:

• Seagrasses produce bioactive molecules with potential applications in treating microbe-borne, skin, and helminthic diseases, as well as diabetes, muscle pain, and wounds.
• Secondary metabolites from seagrasses offer societal benefits.
• Few studies have explored the functional and therapeutic properties of these metabolites.

Conclusions:

• Seagrasses represent a promising natural resource for drug discovery.
• Further exploration of their pharmacological activities is warranted, especially in light of global health challenges.
• Identifying novel biomedical applications of seagrasses is a critical area for future research.