ABSTRACT
The ocean is rich in biodiversity, and marine ora alone constitute more than 90% of oceanic biomass. Marine ora include microora (bacteria, actinobacteria, cyanobacteria, and fungi), microalgae, macroalgae, and owering plants (mangroves and other halophytes). Algae are simple chlorophyll-containing organisms composed of one cell or grouped together in colonies or as organisms with many cells and sometimes collaborating together as simple tissues. Algae are found everywhere on earth: in the sea, rivers,
16.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 227 16.2 Application of marine algal polysaccharides in pharmaceuticals ......................................................................... 228
16.2.1 Alginate .............................................................................................................................................................. 228 16.2.1.1 Encapsulation ..................................................................................................................................... 228 16.2.1.2 Disintegrants....................................................................................................................................... 228 16.2.1.3 Biolms ................................................................................................................................................ 228 16.2.1.4 Gastric reux control ......................................................................................................................... 229
16.2.2 Agar .................................................................................................................................................................... 229 16.2.2.1 Biolms ................................................................................................................................................ 229 16.2.2.2 Laxatives .............................................................................................................................................. 229 16.2.2.3 Suppositories....................................................................................................................................... 229 16.2.2.4 Disintegrants....................................................................................................................................... 230 16.2.2.5 Prosthetic dentistry ............................................................................................................................ 230
16.2.3 Carageenan ........................................................................................................................................................ 230 16.2.3.1 Antibiotic production ........................................................................................................................ 230 16.2.3.2 Substance for the elaboration of the drugs with highly selective metal-binding
properties ............................................................................................................................................ 230 16.2.3.3 Microbicides for sexually transmitted diseases ............................................................................ 230
16.2.4 Fucoidan ............................................................................................................................................................. 230 16.2.4.1 Dietary supplements.......................................................................................................................... 231 16.2.4.2 Biomaterials ........................................................................................................................................ 231 16.2.4.3 Oral delivery system .......................................................................................................................... 231
16.2.5 Ulvan .................................................................................................................................................................. 231 16.2.6 Laminarin .......................................................................................................................................................... 231
16.3 Summary ........................................................................................................................................................................ 232 References ................................................................................................................................................................................ 232
lakes, on soil and walls, in animal and plants, in fact, just about everywhere where there is a light to carry out photosynthesis. They vary greatly in size from unicellular (microns) to giant kelps up to 70 m long and growing at up to 0.5 m/day (El Gamal 2010). The term “algae” in this chapter is used to refer to marine macroalgae.
