Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2020, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (5): 790-795.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.268894

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Edible seaweed-derived constituents: an undisclosed source of neuroprotective compounds

Melissa Schepers1, 2, Nikita Martens3, Assia Tiane1, 2, Kenneth Vanbrabant1, 4, Hong-Bing Liu5, Dieter Lütjohann4, Monique Mulder3, Tim Vanmierlo1, 2#br#   

  1. 1 Department of Neuroimmunology, Biomedical Research Institute, Hasselt University, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Hasselt, Belgium
    2 Department of Psychiatry & Neuropsychology, Division of Translational Neuroscience, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht, The Netherlands
    3 Department of Internal Medicine, Laboratory of Vascular Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
    4 Institue for Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Pharmacology, Bonn, Germany
    5 Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
  • Online:2020-05-15 Published:2020-05-30
  • Contact: Tim Vanmierlo, PhD, Associate professor, tim.vanmierlo@uhasselt.be.
  • Supported by:
    NWO-TTW (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research), No. 16437; Alzheimer Nederland, No. WE.03-2018-06.

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Abstract: Edible marine algae, or seaweeds, are a rich source of several bioactive compounds including phytosterols, carotenoids, and polysaccharides. Over the last decades, seaweed-derived constituents turned out to not only reside in the systemic circulation, but are able to cross the blood-brain barrier to exert neuro-active functions both in homeostatic and pathological conditions. Therefore, seaweed-derived constituents have gained increasing interest for their neuro-immunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties, rendering them interesting candidates for the management of several neurodegenerative disorders. In particular seaweed-derived phytosterols gained interest for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders as they potentiate neuroplasticity, enhance phagocytic clearance of neurotoxic peptides and have anti-inflammatory properties. Though, the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties of other constituents including carotenoids, phenols and polysaccharides have recently gained more interest. In this review, we provide an overview of a selection of the described neuro-active properties of seaweed-derived constituents with a focus on phytosterols.

Key words: algae, carotenoids, neuro-active, phenols, phytosterols, polysaccharides, seaweed