ABSTRACT
Nature has been the traditional source for organic chemical compounds used in medicine for over 3,000 years. The oldest known pharmacological script mentioning marine cures is the Chinese Pen Tsao, which was written around 2800 B.C. It recommends seaweed-based recipes for a number of disorders such as pains, abscesses, menstrual difficulties and cancer. The Romans attributed medicinal effects to some marine animals to treat infections, inflammation, arthritis and other diseases. Seaweed remedies are still used by the San Blas Islands Indians in Panama (Jimeno et al. 2004).
