ABSTRACT
This chapter covers the bioactive compounds of marine algae in nanoparticle (NP) synthesis for drug delivery. Marine macroalgae (seaweeds) are rich sources of polysaccharides (agar, carrageenan, ulvan, alginates, fucoidan, etc.), proteins, vitamins, pigments, alkaloids and polyphenols. The NPs are green synthesized using the bioactive compounds of marine algae extracted by various ecofriendly and nonhazardous methods. Microscopic and spectral analytical tools (UV-Vis, SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR) in in vitro studies are employed for analysing NP size (1–100 nm) and shape as well as biomolecules and functional groups. The synthesized NPs were analysed in vitro to decipher their biological drug-delivery properties as potential cures for many diseases. These seaweed NPs are widely used in biomedical applications and in the pharmaceutical industry as a drug-delivery mechanism in various types of drugs.
