Spirulina: A Miraculous Nutraceutical with Multifarious Biomedical and Biotechnological Applications

Spirulina is a multicellular, filamentous blue-green algae i.e., Cyanobacteria belonging to the family Osellatorlaceae. It is a microalga, also known as phytoplankton, which refers to the aquatic autotroph that lives in suspension in the water column and the name encompasses several phyla which are mostly eukaryotes, including photosynthetic prokaryotes called cyanobacteria [1]. It is capable of deriving its energy from sunlight uses carbon dioxide as its carbon source [2], and obtains minerals from the inorganic sources of the environment like other cyanobacteria. Spirulina is gram-negative with a cell membrane, cell wall, and an outer membrane.

Spirulina is an excellent source of various food ingredients. It is rich in protein (70-55%), carbohydrates (30-25%), especially in polysaccharides, dietary fiber, polyphenols, carotenoids, minerals, vitamins, sterols, and essential fatty acids (18%) like the ω-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Its nutritional contents vary from region to region due to various factors like tropical weather, strong sunshine, pure water resources, pollution-free environment, and growing conditions. Certain species of Spirulina such as Chlorella, Arthrospira, and Tetraselmiare are extensively used in food and feed industries owing to their rich nutrients like minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, (beta carotene, and phycocyanin) phenolic compounds and essential fatty acids [3], carbohydrates [4,5] (Table 1).

Table 1: Courtesy: Ankita and Priyanka, 2024.

Uses of Spirulina

Spirulina has been in use for a long time, which is attributed to its various health-beneficial and disease-preventive bioactive components like protein, dietary fiber, β-carotene,γ-linolenic acid, etc., Spirulina is extensively used in the preparation of biscuits, cookies, candies, stylish noodles, beverages, chewing gums, etc. [6,7]. Apart from human food, it is also used to prepare livestock feeds such as poultry, prawns, exotic birds, carp, and canaries [8-10]. Added to these, various commercially available products of Spirulina have proved to have the potential to lower the lipid content of the blood, decreasing the WBC content after chemo and radiotherapy treatments [11,12]. Spirulina acts as an anti-arthritic, anti-atherogenic, tumor burden inhibiting, and cell degenerating agent [13-16].

Biomedical and biotechnological applications of Spirulina

Many studies have reported the biomedical and biotechnological applications of Spirulina. Owing to its attractive, health-promoting, and disease-preventive bioactives, it is widely used in food, feed, pharmaceutical, agriculture, cosmetics, and other such industries [4].

Anti-diabetic activity

Spirulina is reported to act as a potential adjunctive therapeutical agent in managing type 2 diabetes [17] and also exhibited its anti-diabetic activity by reducing the blood glucose level, and by improving the insulin level and type-2 diabetes in In vivo experimental rats [18].

Anti-obesity effects

The protein hydrolysate of the Spirulina has shown its anti-obesity effects in mice [19]. Spirulina powder is investigated to explore its efficacy in combating obesity, diabetes, and inflammation [20]

Spirulina as an anti-oxidant agent

Several studies have revealed the potential anti-oxidant activity of Spirulina, which is exhibited by reducing nitric oxide levels, lipid peroxide, activity of mitochondria, and generation of free radicals, that were attributed to the action of β-carotene, tocopherol, and phenolic compounds, [21-23].

Anti-inflammatory effects

Spirulina has proven its anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting the release of histamine from mast cells [24]. Phycocyanin and β-carotene, bioactive compounds of Spirulina are reported to offer anti-inflammatory effects by blocking the molecules, which cause oxidative stress, and result in inflammation [25-26]

Anti-cancer properties

Several studies have proved the significant anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties of Spirulina. Renata et al.,[27] have shown the anti-proliferative effects of S. platensis and its components viz phycocyanobilin and chlorophyllin, and chlorophyll A on several human pancreatic cancer cell lines. The chemopreventive properties of Spirulina hs strongly supported its anti-cancer effects against lung cancer cells [28]. The polysaccharides from Spirulina have exhibited significant antitumor and anticancer properties by downregulating the process of angiogenesis and partially controlling the production of interleukin-17 production in Glioma cells [29] (Figure 1).

Immunomodulatory effects

In animals like humans and fish, Spirulina is reported to have significantly modulated the immune system by stimulating the cells of innate immunity, which improves resistance to infections, alters hematopoiesis, and induces antibody and cytokine synthesis [30- 31]. Supplementation of Spirulina has demonstrated increased oxygen uptake and improved exercise in athletes [26].

Anti-aging effects

The current trend and growing interest of humans towards increasing life expectancy in a youthful appearance have overwhelmingly attracted the cosmetic market in search of anti-aging products [32]. Consequently, due to the health-promoting properties of Spirulina, it stands out as a rich source of active bioactive ingredients of diverse natural cosmetic products of luxury markets such as healthy sun-screen, moisturizing, antiwrinkles, antiaging and antiacne creams [33-34].

Spirulina in tissue engineering

Spirulina polymers have intensively been used as raw materials for tissue engineering scaffolds, which can be used in making devices of bone joining, surgical sutures, vascular grafts, and artificial skin [35] Sang et al.,[36] have demonstrated the potential applications of Spirulina and nanofiber in cutaneous wound to facilitate skin regeneration.

Spirulina in biorefineries

Spirulina drives the bio-energy sector extensively [37]. It is used as a raw material in biorefineries, which convert biomass into bio-products, value-added products, and energy [38] (Figure 2)

Spirulina in agriculture

It is well documented by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) in 1981 that chemical fertilizers can be replaced by Spirulina (blue-green algae), which acts as a Biofertilizer to rebuild the structure of depleted soil. Shy et al.,[39] have reported that the Spirulina biomass produced from treatment of aquaculture wastewater can be used as agricultural fertilizers.

Spirulina as a nutraceutical

In recent years, food biotechnology industries worldwide have shifted their focus towards Spirulina due to its food and feed production capability. Spirulina has extensively been used as food and feed additives owing to its richness in protein, carotenoids like β-carotene, essential fatty acids like γ-linolenic acid, fiber, antioxidants, etc. It has been as a “superfood” and used for the production of a wide range of nutraceuticals, functional foods, and value-added products by fortifying Spirulina with dairy products, confectionaries, beverages, infant foods, bakery products such as biscuits, cookies, energy bars and extruded snacks [40], and commercially they are sold in various forms as tablets, capsules powder, flakes, bars and candies [41].

Spirulina is an excellent nutraceutical source of multifarious food bioactives of disease preventive and health-promoting properties. Its various biotechnological and biomedical applications such as anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-tumor, anti-aging, and immunomodulatory properties owing to its protein, peptides, β-carotene, γ-linolenic acid, phycocyanin, chlorophyll, fiber, vitamins, and minerals have intensively attracted the attention of food and pharmaceutical industries to produce innumerable forms of nutraceutical, functional foods and value-added products to achieve better health and to manage, treat and prevent different life-threatening diseases, including cancer. It is also widely applied in the fields of bio-refineries and renewable energy to produce biofuels and bio-fertilizers to reduce greenhouse gases and minimize the usage of chemical fertilizers, respectively, to prevent environmental pollution and promote health-beneficial effects. However, it still warrants more detailed research in the area of biomedical and biotechnology to enrich the knowledge of the users of its commercial products.

Authors A.V.J and R.J are grateful to Yuvaraja’s College, University of Mysore, Mysuru for providing facilities for the work of this publication.

Authors AVJ & RJ drafted and wrote the manuscript while authors YM., SL & CMFP discussed the findings and supervised the process.

All the authors of this review declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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