Seaweed Phenolics: From Extraction to Applications
João Cotas,
Adriana Leandro,
Pedro Monteiro,
Diana Pacheco,
Artur Figueirinha,
Ana M. M. Gonçalves,
Gabriela Jorge da Silva,
Leonel Pereira
Affiliations
João Cotas
MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Adriana Leandro
MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Pedro Monteiro
Faculty of Pharmacy and Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, Health Sciences Campus, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Diana Pacheco
MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Artur Figueirinha
LAQV, REQUIMTE, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Ana M. M. Gonçalves
MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Gabriela Jorge da Silva
Faculty of Pharmacy and Center for Neurosciences and Cell Biology, Health Sciences Campus, University of Coimbra, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
Leonel Pereira
MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-456 Coimbra, Portugal
Seaweeds have attracted high interest in recent years due to their chemical and bioactive properties to find new molecules with valuable applications for humankind. Phenolic compounds are the group of metabolites with the most structural variation and the highest content in seaweeds. The most researched seaweed polyphenol class is the phlorotannins, which are specifically synthesized by brown seaweeds, but there are other polyphenolic compounds, such as bromophenols, flavonoids, phenolic terpenoids, and mycosporine-like amino acids. The compounds already discovered and characterized demonstrate a full range of bioactivities and potential future applications in various industrial sectors. This review focuses on the extraction, purification, and future applications of seaweed phenolic compounds based on the bioactive properties described in the literature. It also intends to provide a comprehensive insight into the phenolic compounds in seaweed.
