Pharmacological and Cosmeceutical Potential of Seaweed Beach-Casts of Macaronesia

Laccase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Added-Value Polymers from Cork and Grape Extracts

The development of products from natural plant sources, including agriculture and food wastes, contributes significantly to the circular economy and global sustainability. Cork and grape wastes were employed as the primary sources in this study to obtain compounds of interest under mild extraction conditions. Laccase was applied to oxidize the cork and grape extracts, with the aim of producing value-added molecules with improved properties. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy was assessed to monitor the oxidation process, and characterization of the end products was performed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) spectroscopy. The antioxidant and antiaging properties were evaluated by means of ABTS, DPPH, FRAP, and SPF testing. Overall, as compared to their monomeric counterparts, the polymeric compounds displayed remarkable antioxidant and antiaging characteristics after laccase oxidation, showing tremendous potential for applications in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and textile industries.

Exploring the Potential of Using Marine-Derived Ingredients: From the Extraction to Cutting-Edge Cosmetics

The growing understanding and knowledge of the potential of marine species, as well as the application of "blue biotechnology" have been motivating new innovative solutions in cosmetics. It is widely noted that that marine species are important sources of compounds with several biological activities that are yet to be discovered. This review explores various biological properties of marine-derived molecules and briefly outlines the main extraction methods. Alongside these, it is well known the legislative and normative framework of cosmetics is increasingly being developed. In this research segment, there is a growing concern with sustainability. In this sense, "blue biotechnology", together with the use of invasive species or marine waste products to obtain new active ingredients, haven been emerging as innovative and sustainable solutions for the future's cosmetics industry. This review also examines the regulatory framework and focus on the recent advancements in "blue biotechnology" and its relevance to the sustainable development of innovative cosmetics.

The Potential of Algae in the Nutricosmetic Sector

Seaweeds or algae are marine autotrophic organisms. They produce nutrients (e.g., proteins, carbohydrates, etc.) essential for the survival of living organisms as they participate in biochemical processes and non-nutritive molecules (such as dietary fibers and secondary metabolites), which can improve their physiological functions. Seaweed polysaccharides, fatty acids, peptides, terpenoids, pigments, and polyphenols have biological properties that can be used to develop food supplements and nutricosmetic products as they can act as antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory compounds. This review examines the (primary and secondary) metabolites produced by algae, the most recent evidence of their effect on human health conditions, with particular attention to what concerns the skin and hair's well-being. It also evaluates the industrial potential of recovering these metabolites from biomass produced by algae used to clean wastewater. The results demonstrate that algae can be considered a natural source of bioactive molecules for well-being formulations. The primary and secondary metabolites' upcycling can be an exciting opportunity to safeguard the planet (promoting a circular economy) and, at the same time, obtain low-cost bioactive molecules for the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries from low-cost, raw, and renewable materials. Today's lack of methodologies for recovering bioactive molecules in large-scale processes limits practical realization.

Inhibitory Effects of Caulerpa racemosa, Ulva intestinalis, and Lobophora challengeriae on Tyrosinase Activity and α-MSH-Induced Melanogenesis in B16F10 Melanoma Cells

Melanogenesis involves a synthesis of melanin pigment and is regulated by tyrosinase. The addition of whitening agents with tyrosinase-inhibiting properties in cosmetics is becoming increasingly important. In this study, the ethanolic extracts from twelve seaweeds were assessed for tyrosinase-inhibiting activity using mushroom tyrosinase and melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. The highest mushroom tyrosinase inhibition (IC50) was observed with Lobophora challengeriae (0.15 ± 0.01 mg mL−1); treatment was more effective than kojic acid (IC50 = 0.35 ± 0.05 mg mL−1), a well-known tyrosinase inhibitor. Three seaweeds, Caulerpa racemosa, Ulva intestinalis, and L. challengeriae, were further investigated for their ability to reduce melanogenesis in B16F10 cells. The ethanolic extracts of C. racemosa, U. intestinalis, and L. challengeriae showed inhibitory effects by reducing melanin and intracellular tyrosinase levels in B16F10 cells treated with α-melanocyte stimulating hormone in a dose-dependent manner. C. racemosa (33.71%) and L. challengeriae (36.14%) at 25 µg mL−1 reduced melanin production comparable to that of kojic acid (36.18%). L. challengeriae showed a stronger inhibition of intracellular tyrosinase (decreased from 165.23% to 46.30%) than kojic acid (to 72.50%). Thus, ethanolic extracts from C. racemosa, U. intestinalis, and L. challengeriae can be good sources of natural tyrosinase inhibitors and therapeutic or cosmetic agents in the future.

Intra-Species Variations of Bioactive Compounds of Two Dictyota Species from the Adriatic Sea: Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Dermatological, Dietary, and Neuroprotective Potential

The marine environment has a significant impact on life on Earth. Organisms residing in it are vital for the ecosystem but also serve as an inexhaustible source of biologically active compounds. Herein, the biodiversity of two brown seaweeds, Dictyota dichotoma and Dictyota fasciola from the Adriatic Sea, was evaluated. The aim of the study was the determination of differences in compound composition while comparing their activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzyme inhibition, in connection to human digestion, dermatology, and neurological disorders. Chemical analysis revealed several terpenoids and steroids as dominant molecules, while fucoxanthin was the main identified pigment in both algae. D. dichotoma had higher protein, carbohydrate, and pigment content. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids were identified, with the highest amount of dihomo-γ-linolenic acid and α-linolenic acid in D. dichotoma. Antimicrobial testing revealed a dose-dependent inhibitory activity of methanolic fraction against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Moderate antioxidant activity was observed for both algae fractions, while the dietary potential was high, especially for the D. fasciola dichloromethane fraction, with inhibition percentages of around 92% for α-amylase and 57% for pancreatic lipase at 0.25 mg/mL. These results suggest that Dictyota species might be a potent source of naturally derived agents for obesity and diabetes.

Bio-Guided Optimization of Cystoseira abies-marina Cosmeceuticals Extraction by Advanced Technologies

Cystoseira abies-marina (reclassified as Gongolaria abies-marina) is a brown seaweed species rich in meroterpenoids, presenting interesting antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, there is still a lot to uncover regarding the bioactive potential of this species, as evidenced by the lack of records of antiaging activities from Cystoseira abies-marina, making this macroalga an excellent candidate for studies of its cosmeceutical potential. Ultrasound-(UAE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) are advanced sustainable technologies that are very efficient in enhancing bioactive compound extraction. Applying these extraction techniques to a new biological matrix often calls for optimizing the parameters toward the best extraction yield. Since Cystoseira abies-marina is a new matrix for both UAE and MAE techniques, the present work proposes the optimization of the extraction process, using a novel approach: instead of only focusing on increasing the yield, the goal of this work is to determine the parameters for UAE and MAE that lead to extracts with better antiaging activities. For this bio-guided approach, several Cystoseira abies-marina extracts were prepared by UAE and MAE under varying conditions of solvent, time, and algae/solvent ratios. Their antiaging activities were then determined, and all the results combined to unveil the conditions yielding extracts with higher cosmeceutical potential. Using statistical tools, it was found that, for UAE, the best conditions were ethyl acetate, 15 min, and a ratio of 1:4, which led to an extract with high yield, and causing the strong inhibition of tyrosinase and elastase. In turn, ethanol, 10 min, and a ratio of 1:4 were the best conditions for MAE, leading to the extract with the best antioxidant activity. The results show that the proposed bio-guided approach was effective in obtaining extracts with high cosmeceutical potential, unveiling the possibility of modulating an extract's activity by changing the extraction method.

Enhancing Bioproducts in Seaweeds via Sustainable Aquaculture: Antioxidant and Sun-Protection Compounds

Marine macroalgae are considered an untapped source of healthy natural metabolites and their market demand is rapidly increasing. Intertidal macroalgae present chemical defense mechanisms that enable them to thrive under changing environmental conditions. These intracellular chemicals include compounds that can be used for human benefit. The aim of this study was to test cultivation protocols that direct seaweed metabolic responses to enhance the production of target antioxidant and photoprotective biomaterials. We present an original integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) design, based on a two-phase cultivation plan, in which three seaweed species were initially fed by fish effluents, and subsequently exposed to various abiotic stresses, namely, high irradiance, nutrient starvation, and high salinity. The combined effect of the IMTA's high nutrient concentrations and/or followed by the abiotic stressors enhanced the seaweeds' content of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) by 2.3-fold, phenolic compounds by 1.4-fold, and their antioxidant capacity by 1.8-fold. The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rose by 2.7-fold, and the chlorophyll and phycobiliprotein synthesis was stimulated dramatically by an order of magnitude. Our integrated cultivation system design offers a sustainable approach, with the potential to be adopted by emerging industries for food and health applications.

Valorization of Seaweed Wracks: Inclusion as Additive in Diets for Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Macroalgae have been recently described as a potential ingredient for aquafeeds, exerting several physiological benefits. Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) is a freshwater species, which has been the major fish species produced in the world in the last years. In order to determine the potential use of macroalgal wracks in fish feeding, C. idella juveniles were fed with an extruded commercial diet (CD) or the CD supplemented with 7% of a wind dried-powder (1 mm) from either a multispecific macroalgal wrack (CD + MU7) or a monospecific macroalgal wrack (CD + MO7) obtained from Gran Canaria island (Spain) coasts. After 100 days of feeding, survival, fish weight, and body indexes were determined, and muscle, liver, and digestive tract samples were collected. The total antioxidant capacity of macroalgal wracks was analyzed by assesing the antioxidant defense response and digestive enzymes activity in fish. Finally, muscle proximate composition, lipid classes (LC), and fatty acid (FA) profiles were also studied. Our results suggest that dietary inclusion of macroalgal wracks does not have negative effects on growth, proximate, and lipid composition, antioxidative status, or digestive capacity of C. idella. In fact, both macroalgal wracks caused a general lower fat deposition, and the multispecific wrack enhanced catalase activity in the liver.

Laurus azorica: Valorization through Its Phytochemical Study and Biological Activities

Laurus azorica (Seub.) Franco is an endemic species from the Azores, traditionally used in all the islands as a seasoning in cooking. The studies carried out with this species refer mainly to its essential oils. The study that was developed here allowed, for the first time, to determine the chemical composition and biological activities of the ethanol extract, fractions, and pure compounds from L. azorica. The hexane fraction was analyzed by GC–MS and revealed the presence of 48 compounds, comprising mainly fatty acids, fatty alcohols and terpenes, the family of fatty alcohols identified here for the first time in the genus Laurus. Three sesquiterpene lactones—costunolide, 11,13-dehydrosantonin and reynosin—were isolated for the first time in L. azorica from the same fraction, and structurally characterized using spectroscopic techniques. The compounds identified belong to families known to have relevant medicinal and nutritional properties. Regarding antioxidant activities, the results obtained showed a moderate radical scavenging effect of extracts and fractions, while in the β-carotene bleaching assay, costunolide was shown to be the most active (IC50 = 4.08 ± 0.76 μg/mL), about 3.6 times more active than the standard, gallic acid, which presented IC50 = 14.56 ± 0.13 μg/mL. Although the inhibition of extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes was not detected, the ethanol extract showed good inhibitory activity of tyrosinase, with an IC50 of 12.04 ± 0.23 μg/mL, only 6.6-fold lower than the control kojic acid. The results presented deepen the knowledge about a little studied species, opening new perspectives for the development of value-added applications in the food and cosmeceutical fields.

Marine macroalgae waste: A potential feedstock for biogas production

In the present study, marine macroalgae waste, mainly composed by Saccorhiza polyschides, was collected from a beach in northern Portugal and evaluated as feedstock for anaerobic digestion. Batch experiments (500 mL flasks, 300 mL working volume) were conducted at the following conditions: mesophilic temperature (37 °C); 80 rpm stirring speed; 150 mL inoculum (anaerobically digested sludge) and variable total solids content (0.9, 1.7, 2.5 and 3.5% TS). Methane concentration and volume of biogas obtained were monitored during up to 57 days by optical sensors and milligascounters, respectively. The results show that an increase in total solids content up to 2.5% TS led to the highest biogas volume and methane concentration. The maximum biogas yield was 227 ± 4 mL/g VS (2.5% TS, 53 operation days), with the maximum methane content in the biogas being 64.5 ± 0.6% (51 operation days). A maximum methane yield of 146 ± 2 mL/g VS was consequently estimated. At the end of the process (57 days), an average of 43% COD reduction and 46% VS reduction were observed. These results correspond to about 27% of the theoretical maximum methane production. Using 3.5% TS the inhibition of the process was observed, by the decrease in pH, most likely due to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids. The results indicate that marine macroalgae waste may be a good candidate as substrate for anaerobic digestion processes, most probably by co-digestion.

GC- and UHPLC-MS Profiles as a Tool to Valorize the Red Alga Asparagopsis armata

Asparagopsis armata Harvey is a red alga native from the southern hemisphere and then introduced in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, including the Azores Archipelago, where it is considered an invasive alga. Some studies show that the extracts exhibit antimicrobial and antifouling activities, and it is incorporated in some commercialized cosmetic products. (e.g., Ysaline®). However, knowledge of this species chemical composition is scarce. The GC-MS and UHPLC-MS profiles of both the nonpolar and polar extracts were established to contribute to this problem solution. According to the results, A. armata is rich in a great structural variety of halogenated lipophilic and aromatic compounds, some of them identified here for the first time. In the lipophilic extract, 25 compounds are identified, being the halogenated compounds and fatty acids, the two major compound families, corresponding to 54.8% and 35.7% of identified compounds (224 and 147 mg/100 g of dry algae, respectively). The 1,4-dibromobuten-1-ol and the palmitic acid are the two most abundant identified compounds (155 and 83.4 mg/100 g of dry algae, respectively). The polar extract demonstrated the richness of this species in brominated phenolics, from which the cinnamic acid derivatives are predominant. The results obtained herein open new perspectives for valuing the A. armata as a source of halogenated compounds and fatty acids, consequently improving its biotechnological and economic potential. Promoting this seaweed and the consequent increase in its demand will contribute to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem sustainability.

Applying Seaweed Compounds in Cosmetics, Cosmeceuticals and Nutricosmetics

The interest in seaweeds for cosmetic, cosmeceutics, and nutricosmetics is increasing based on the demand for natural ingredients. Seaweeds offer advantages in relation to their renewable character, wide distribution, and the richness and versatility of their valuable bioactive compounds, which can be used as ingredients, as additives, and as active agents in the formulation of skin care products. Bioactive compounds, such as polyphenols, polysaccharides, proteins, peptides, amino acids, lipids, vitamins, and minerals, are responsible for the biological properties associated with seaweeds. Seaweed fractions can also offer technical features, such as thickening, gelling, emulsifying, texturizing, or moistening to develop cohesive matrices. Furthermore, the possibility of valorizing industrial waste streams and algal blooms makes them an attractive, low cost, raw and renewable material. This review presents an updated summary of the activities of different seaweed compounds and fractions based on scientific and patent literature.