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Effects of spirulina on immune system. Spirulina enhance rate of production of RBCs and WBCs by enhancing hematopoeisis. Spirulina also shows direct effect on both innate and specific immunity. Spirulina activate macrophage and NK cells. Spirulina induce production of the antibodies. Spirulina also activate of T-cells.
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Spirulina, a filamentous cyanobacterium, possesses diverse biological activities and nutritional significance due to high concentration of natural nutrients, having bio-modulatory and immuno-modulatory functions. Different Spirulina preparations influence immune system viz. increase phagocytic activity of macrophages, stimulating the production of...
Citations
... Habib [13] and AlFadhly et al. [9] showed that SP is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (Pufa) and other health-promoting fatty acids, including gamma-linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Furthermore, SP was found to possess numerous health benefits, including antiviral, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, anti-allergenic, carotenoids and immunomodulatory properties [14][15][16]. In addition, SP is commonly recommended as a dietary protein supplement that can improve growth rate and meat quality in ruminants, chickens, pigs, and rabbits [17][18][19]. ...
In a 70-day study, 36 Jabbali and Sahrawi bucks, aged 11 months, were utilized to evaluate the effects of different levels of spirulina dietary supplement (SP) on carcass characteristics, fatty acid profile, and meat quality traits in Omani goat breeds. The goats were put into six groups of six bucks, each at random. The diet consisted of a conventional concentrate feed ration (CFR) without spirulina (CON), and the CFR diet supplemented with spirulina at the levels of 2 g/head daily (T1) and 4 g/head daily (T2). In general, Sahrawi bucks showed a highly significant response to SP feeding compared with Jabbali bucks. The treatment groups, especially T1, showed a significant increase in average daily gain and carcass traits (body length, leg length, and the rack weight) compared with the CON group of Sahrawi bucks. The weights of omental and kidney fat were also significantly higher in T1 compared with CON and T2 groups of Sahrawi goats, while they were significantly higher in T2 compared with CON and T1 groups of Jabbali goats. Carcass profile and meat quality, including ultimate ph and meat color lightness (L*) were increased significantly with dietary spirulina in both LD and SM muscles of Sahrawi goats. Most of the Sfa, Mufa, Pufa, Pufa n-6, Pufa n-3, and n-6/n-3 ratios of the LD showed significant differences in diets supplemented with SP compared with CON for Sahrawi bucks, while some of them were significant in Jabbali bucks. The LD muscle of Sahrawi goats fed diets supplemented with SP of the T1 group significantly decreased in the amounts of pentadecanoic and margaric acids compared with the T2 and CON groups. The study concluded that incorporating SP (2 g and 4 g/head daily) into the diet of Omani goats, especially Sahrawi goats, can increase growth performance, as well as improve fatty acid composition and meat quality.
... A conflict related to the content of cobalamin (vitamin B12) arises in case of the organism. Certain researchers claim it to be the richest source of B12 as compared with other sea algae or raw liver (Khan et al., 2005), while some claim that Spirulina has no reliable vitamin B12 (Watanabe, 2007). ...
Human race has been using plants and cyanobacteria for thousands of years for various purposes like food, feed, and medicines. One of them is Spirulina, a powdered form of multicellular organism’s biomass belonging to the family of cyanobacteria, which is used as food in many countries since centuries. The organisms required to produce spirulina can be grown easily on a large scale and bioactive compounds can be extracted and purified without much difficulty. The two species of this organism, Spirulina platensis and Spirulina maxima, are well known for various nutritional and therapeutic applications. The chemical composition of Spirulina has been described in literature and it mainly consists of high protein content (50–70%), carbohydrate (10–20%), and lipids (5–10%). It is also rich in essential minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids. The presence of these constituents makes this organism suitable for various health benefits like antioxidant, antiobesity, anticancer, antidiabetic, etc. This has been also declared as Generally Recognized as Safe for human consumption by Food and Drug Administration. This chapter discusses the historical importance and health benefits of Spirulina.
... This was a multi-center, Phase 4, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with Aviron Rapid in patients with a viral AURTI, recruited from 85 GP practices in Bulgaria between January 27 and March 9, 2020. The trial included 3 age cohorts: adults (18-60 years), adolescents (13)(14)(15)(16)(17) years; also referred to as 'the adolescent cohort'), and children (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12) years; also referred to as 'the pediatric cohort'). Informed consent was obtained from all participants participating in the study. ...
Introduction : Acute upper respiratory tract infections (AURTIs) are associated with a significant burden on society attributed to medical care and loss of productivity. Novel therapies that are able to shorten disease duration, while providing symptom relief and being well tolerated, are an unmet medical need.
Aim : The main objective of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and safety of Aviron Rapid, a dietary supplement containing andrographolide, proprietary spirulina, and humic acid, in the management of AURTIs in adolescents and children.
Materials and methods : This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between January 2020 and March 2020 in 85 general practitioner practices in Bulgaria. Adolescents (13–17 years) and children (5–12 years) with a clinical diagnosis of AURTI were randomly assigned to receive standard symptomatic therapy + Aviron Rapid or placebo for 5 and 7 days, respectively. The primary endpoints of this trial were the number (and percentage) of clinically recovered patients and the mean disease duration.
Results : In total, 380 adolescents and 401 children were enrolled in 2 age cohorts and randomly assigned to treatment with Aviron Rapid or placebo. The percentage of patients meeting the criteria for clinical recovery was significantly higher in the Aviron Rapid group compared with the placebo group from 24 and 48 hours after initiation of treatment in adolescents and children, respectively. Aviron Rapid treatment significantly reduced the duration of disease, of fever, and of antipyretics intake in both adolescents and children. When compared to placebo, a significantly higher percentage of adolescents and children on Aviron Rapid achieved a persistent decrease in temperature of less than 37°C as soon as 24 hours after starting treatment. Overall, a low number of adverse events was reported and no major differences in the incidence of individual adverse events were observed between the two treatment groups in both cohorts.
Conclusions : This clinical trial demonstrated the efficacy of Aviron Rapid in the management of acute upper respiratory tract infections in adolescents and children. Aviron Rapid treatment rapidly increased the number of clinically recovered patients and reduced overall disease duration and duration of symptoms, in particular fever, while being well tolerated.
Trial registration : International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) 12221500. Retrospectively registered on 29 March 2022. [https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12221500]
... When cell membrane of hepatocytes is damaged certain enzymes including ALT are being secreted into blood stream causing an increase in ALT levels within serum and are considered as markers of liver damage (Ncibi et al. 2008;Makki et al. 2022). Increase in ALT has been reported by many authors in different animals administered with certain organophosphates (Khan et al. 2005;Celik et al. 2009;Ncibi et al. 2008;El Okle et al. 2022). Similarly higher urea and creatinine levels are considered to be the markers for kidney damages (Abidin et al. 2013). ...
Organophosphates like malathion are extensively being used in crops, gardens and domestic places to control flies and mosquitoes. Malathion is being used as a potent insecticide to crops since half century and its extensive use has severely contaminated the environment of non-targeted species like humans, animals, birds and aquatic ecosystems. Spirulina platensis (SP) is a blue green alga which has high nutritious value and is commercially being cultivated for use as food. This experiment was aimed to examine the mitigative potency of SP against malathion induced oxidative stress and toxicopathological alterations in Swiss albino mice. Forty-eight mice were divided into six equal groups and fed varying combinations of malathion (40 and 60 mg/kg body weight) and SP (1% of feed) for 28 days. Parameters studied were feed intake, body weight, relative organ weights, hematological, serum biochemical, gross and histopathological alterations along with serum total antioxidant capacity and antioxidant status. Results of the experiment revealed that Malathion administration severely affected feed intake and body weight gain along with altered hematological and serum biochemical indices in mice which were efficiently restored by the dietary supplementation of SP. Additionally this restoration in the parameters was partial against higher doses malathion (60 mg/kg BW) while amelioration was completely observed at lower malathion doses (40 mg/kg BW). However, the actual ratio of malathion and SP to deliver such mitigation is yet to be evaluated and requires further research in this regard.
... Spirulina is a great source of protein, but it is also high in B vitamins, phycobiliproteins that scavenge free radicals, and γ-linoleic acid (GLA), which lowers cholesterol (Sajilata et al. 2008). Due to its nutrient-dense qualities, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated it as a "super food," and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has even sent it into space (Khan et al. 2005). To illustrate this, Spirulina has 5100% more iron than spinach, 3100% more beta-carotene than carrots, and 180% more calcium than milk (Capelli and Cysewski 2010). ...
Haematococcus is a genus of green microalgae widely distributed in freshwater and seawater and well known for their ability to produce astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant with diverse applications. Eight species have been assigned to this genus based on a recent genetic classification and among them Haematococcus lacustris (previously named Haematococcus pluvialis) is the most studied. This species is regarded as the most promising microalgae for the production of natural astaxanthin. It is also known for its ability to synthesize other interesting bioactive compounds with a wide range of biological activities. The present work highlights the diverse therapeutic applications of Haematococcus bioactive molecules such as antioxidant, anti-inflammation, antimicrobial, skin protection, treatment and prevention of cancer, treatment of eye and neurodegenerative diseases, and immune stimulation.KeywordsAstaxanthinAntioxidantAnti-inflammationCancer preventionNeurodegenerative diseases
... Spirulina is a great source of protein, but it is also high in B vitamins, phycobiliproteins that scavenge free radicals, and γ-linoleic acid (GLA), which lowers cholesterol (Sajilata et al. 2008). Due to its nutrient-dense qualities, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated it as a "super food," and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has even sent it into space (Khan et al. 2005). To illustrate this, Spirulina has 5100% more iron than spinach, 3100% more beta-carotene than carrots, and 180% more calcium than milk (Capelli and Cysewski 2010). ...
Covers recent topics of algae from bionanopesticides to genetic engineering
Presents algal biotechnology, updated food processing techniques and Biochemistry of Haematococcus
Offers information on the less explored areas of in silico therapeutic and clinical applications
... This annual growth rate was expected to continue for the foreseeable future; however, in late 2019 and early 2020, the catastrophic news of a global COVID-19 pandemic further ignited global interest in the Health and Wellness industry. The rapid growth and boom within the functional food industry are clear evidence that, globally, we are now looking to food as a source of immune support when food is so well known to aid in anti-viral immunity and overall immune support [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Seeking functional food sources with immunomodulatory capabilities could potentially be a game changer to naturally aid our management of viral infection. ...
In recent times, the emergence of viral infections, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the monkeypox virus, and, most recently, the Langya virus, has highlighted the devastating effects of viral infection on human life. There has been significant progress in the development of efficacious vaccines for the prevention and control of viruses; however, the high rates of viral mutation and transmission necessitate the need for novel methods of control, management, and prevention. In recent years, there has been a shift in public awareness on health and wellbeing, with consumers making significant dietary changes to improve their immunity and overall health. This rising health awareness is driving a global increase in the consumption of functional foods. This review delves into the benefits of functional foods as potential natural means to modulate the host immune system to enhance defense against viral infections. We provide an overview of the functional food market in Europe and discuss the benefits of enhancing immune fitness in high-risk groups, including the elderly, those with obesity, and people with underlying chronic conditions. We also discuss the immunomodulatory mechanisms of key functional foods, including dairy proteins and hydrolysates, plant-based functional foods, fermentates, and foods enriched with vitamin D, zinc, and selenium. Our findings reveal four key immunity boosting mechanisms by functional foods, including inhibition of viral proliferation and binding to host cells, modulation of the innate immune response in macrophages and dendritic cells, enhancement of specific immune responses in T cells and B cells, and promotion of the intestinal barrier function. Overall, this review demonstrates that diet-derived nutrients and functional foods show immense potential to boost viral immunity in high-risk individuals and can be an important approach to improving overall immune health.
... Dried Spirulina is protein-rich, containing between 51%-70% protein. This product also contains 24% carbohydrates, 8% fat and 5% water, and various vitamins and minerals [15]. Spirulina extracts contain two secondary metabolites responsible for their antibacterial effects: phenolic compounds, such as gallic acid, and alkaloids, such as atropine [14]. ...
Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative bacterium, is the cause of infections in immunocompromised individuals, resulting in various conditions, including pneumonia, and urinary tract, skin, and bloodstream infections. This pathogen produces tissue-destructing toxins, leading to significant morbidity and mortality in affected patients. Conventional antibiotics, including rifampicin and colistin, are often ineffective in treating P. aeruginosa infections due to the emergence of bacterial resistance within affected communities. Alternatively, algae have been explored as a promising source for controlling pathogenic bacteria. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial effects of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Spirulina platensis against P. aeruginosa. Methods: Ethanol and aqueous extracts of S. platensis were prepared at concentrations of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/mL. The antibacterial effect of Spirulina blue-green algae against P. aeruginosa was conducted using a disc diffusion test in an LB medium with 7-mm wells. We measured the inhibition zone and statistically analyzed the data by comparing the means using the Duncan multiple range test. Results: The ethanol extract of S. platensis significantly inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, applying the ethanol extract of S. platensis at a concentration of 1 mg/mL resulted in the largest inhibition zone (20 mm) compared to the control. In contrast, the S. platensis aqueous extract did not significantly inhibit P. aeruginosa growth. Conclusions: The ethanol extracts of S. platensis algae exhibited a significant antibacterial effect against P. aeruginosa. This alga represents a promising source of antibacterial metabolites, which could be a suitable alternative to common antibiotics. Further investigations are necessary to identify and purify the specific antibacterial substance in S. platensis.
... Spirulina platensis, a microalga with a high protein content (approximately 70% of its dry weight), has gained attention as a dietary supplement [16]. The potential neuroprotective effects of Spirulina platensis can be attributed to its active component, phycocyanin. ...
Background Hemorrhagic events can result in significant neurological damage, and identifying effective strategies for neuroprotection is crucial. Several studies have directed their attention to the alterations in perilesional parenchymal tissue. These investigations have sought to modify ischemic and metabolic changes by utilizing potential neuroprotective agents and to develop strategies that effectively mitigate secondary perilesional neuronal damage. By gaining a deeper understanding of its mechanisms and efficacy, Spirulina platensis can emerge as a promising therapeutic intervention for various neurological disorders. Methodology This controlled and blinded experimental study was conducted on adult male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into the treatment group, which received Spirulina platensis extract for 30 days before the hemorrhagic event, and the control group, where all animals underwent the same experimental hemorrhage model using collagenase. Each group was divided into the following three subgroups based on the sacrifice time: six hours, 24 hours, and 30 days. The brain section with the largest hemorrhage volume was selected for histological analysis. The number of viable neurons was analyzed in the perilesional zone and the cortical fields along the puncture trajectory. Neurofunctional evaluations were conducted on animals sacrificed 15 and 30 days after the procedure. Results Initial analysis showed no significant difference in viable neurons between groups (p = 0.63). Still, after 24 hours, the treatment group had a significantly higher number of viable neurons per peripheral fields (18.5) compared to the control group (13.4; p < 0.05). Neurofunctional tests at 15 days indicated a trend toward significance in absolute discrimination (p = 0.054), with the control group showing higher mean values (5.5, SD = 3.1) than the treatment group (-1, SD = 5.1). The discrimination index exhibited a significant difference (p < 0.01), with higher mean values in the control group (0.59, SD = 0.34) compared to the treatment group (-0.05, SD = 0.21). No significant differences were found in other neurofunctional parameters at this time point. At 30 days, no significant differences were observed in absolute discrimination, discrimination index, contralateral paw elevation, rearing time, and wire hanging time test (p > 0.1); however, the treatment group presented a better motor performance in the open field test (14.2, SD = 9.02) compared to the control group (5.25, SD = 2.06), approaching significance (p = 0.06). Conclusions The group treated with Spirulina platensis demonstrated significantly more viable neurons in the perilesional fields 24 hours after the induced hemorrhage. The treatment group also had a relatively better motor performance in the open field test 30 days after the hemorrhage (p = 0.06). These findings suggest a potential neuroprotection effect and warrant further investigations to explore the effects of Spirulina platensis and its active component phycocyanin in acute neurological conditions.
... genel olarak olarak kuru bazda ağırlıkça %40-70 arasında protein içerir [23]. Spirulina spp.' ya Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (WHO) tarafından 'süper gıda' etiketi verilmiş ve hatta besin özellikleri nedeniyle Ulusal Havacılık ve Uzay İdaresi (NASA) tarafından uzaya gönderilmiştir [24]. Becker' a göre [23], Spirulina spp. ...
Dünya nüfusunun hızla artması, çevresel bozulma, gıda kaynakları için rekabet ve tarımın uluslararası ekonomiye entegrasyonu gibi nedenler gıda sürdürülebilirliği için tehdit oluşturmaktadır. Günümüzde potansiyel yeni gıda kaynağı arayışı ön plandadır. Bu noktada algler öne çıkmaktadır. Algler içeriğinde protein, çoklu doymamış yağ asitleri, polisakkarit, pigment, sterol, vitamin ve mineraller gibi önemli biyoaktif bileşenler bulundurmaktadır. Bu değerli biyoaktif bileşenlere ek olarak alglerin doğal ve sürdürülebilir gıda kaynağı olarak görülmesinin nedenleri arasında alglerin bölünerek çoğalıp hızla biyokütle oluşturmaları ve uygun koşullarda açık sistemler kullanılarak düşük maliyetlerle yetiştirilebilmesi gibi faktörlerde bulunmaktadır. Alglerin gıda olarak tüketimi özellikle Uzak Doğu’da geleneksel bir uygulama olmasına rağmen, günümüzde alglerin gıda endüstrisinde ticarileşme potansiyeli, alglerin gıda katkısı, gıda takviyesi veya gıda bileşeni olarak kullanılmalarıyla artmaktadır. Tüm bu bilgiler doğrultusunda alglerin gıda endüstrisindeki öneminin yakın gelecekte artması beklenmektedir. Bu çalışmada biyoaktif bileşenler için potansiyel alg kaynakları, elde edilen ürünler ve günümüzdeki ticari üretimi konusunda bilgiler verilmiştir.
