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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...
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... This phenomenon, known as oxidative stress, which in addition to playing a fundamental role in cellular and tissue damage is related to numerous diseases such as diabetes, autoimmune disorders, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis. In case of oxidative stress, the intake of exogenous antioxidants is of fundamental importance (Arienti, 2016; Khan et al., 2005). It is possible to consider microalgal biomass as a multi-component antioxidant system, in which a single microalgal species is able to synthesize multiple elements, as for example in Chlorella sorokiniana in which the content of α-tocopherol, β-carotene and lutein is respectively 112, 600 and 4300 μg/g of dry matter (Koyande et al., 2019). ...
Microalgae are microscopic photosynthetic organisms that efficiently capture solar energy, surpassing higher plants in this regard. These organisms have been used as a food source for approximately 2,000 years, with historical records dating back to 1300 AD. Spanish chroniclers described local fishermen in Lake Texcoco harvesting blue-green masses of Arthrospira platensis, which were dried and formed into cakes known as "tecuitlatl" . While traditional use spans centuries, biotechnology in microalgae only began to emerge significantly in the mid-20th century.
Today, microalgae are gaining prominence in human diets for two key reasons:
Commercial and Technological Advantages:
Microalgae produce high-value metabolites such as carotenoids, widely used as natural colorants in the food and cosmetic industries. These organisms also offer antioxidant, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties, which enhance the nutritional profile of food products. The versatility of microalgae addresses the growing demand for functional and innovative foods, aligning with current consumer trends.
Alternative Macronutrient Source:
With the global population expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050, the challenge of food security looms large. Microalgae provide a sustainable solution, offering high protein content and rapid growth rates. By 2050, it is anticipated that microalgae will account for about 18% of protein sources across diverse market segments. Their potential to meet rising protein demands makes them a key resource for addressing nutritional challenges.
Areas of Focus
The potential of microalgae extends beyond their nutritional profile. Several aspects underscore their value:
Morphological and Structural Diversity:
Microalgae exhibit diverse forms and chemical compositions, allowing adaptation to various environments and production of bioactive compounds with broad applications.
Chemical Composition:
Rich in proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and secondary metabolites, microalgae contribute to the development of functional foods, nutraceuticals, and bioplastics. Their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties further elevate their value in food and health-related industries.
Applications in the Food Industry:
Microalgae can be incorporated into dietary supplements, functional food ingredients, and natural additives, offering sustainable and health-promoting options. These applications address both environmental and nutritional concerns.
Regulatory Aspects:
A clear understanding of food safety and regulatory compliance is essential for the successful integration of microalgae into commercial markets.
Microalgae hold immense promise for tackling global challenges related to food security, sustainability, and health. They are a rich source of antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and other health-beneficial compounds. Moreover, their high protein and nutrient content can help address malnutrition, particularly in developing regions. However, to fully harness their potential, advancements in research and improvements in economies of scale are necessary. This will ensure microalgae become a cost-effective, natural, and sustainable resource for global food systems.
In conclusion, microalgae are poised to become the "green gold" of the future, offering technological, nutritional, and market opportunities that pave the way for widespread adoption. Their integration into functional foods and other industries highlights their pivotal role in creating a healthier and more sustainable world.
... Its favorable antioxidant and probiotic characteristics also aid in preventing various gastrointestinal issues (5). Studies have shown that Spirulina algae have alkaloids, flavonoids, sugars, tannins, phenolic substances, hormones, and foaming agents (6,7). Researchers have found that young chickens given food with a Spirulina addition have higher body mass and better growth rates. ...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of different levels of Spirulina platensis supplementation on the mucosal morphology of the intestine of broiler chickens. Spirulina, a single-celled algae, has been recently categorized as a filamentous, gram-negative Cyanobacterium, which offers significant benefits in broiler nutrition by improving growth performance through its high protein content, enhancing immune function, boosting feed conversion efficiency, and supporting gut health. A total of 375 one-day-old male Arian broilers were included in a 6-week trial. The chicks were randomly assigned to five treatment groups, each with five replicates of 15 birds, received different concentrations of Spirulina in their drinking water: Group A (5 g/L), Group B (2.5 g/L), and Group C (1 g/L), while the control groups received either no additive or an antibiotic (Fosbac Biotic®). This study examined the effects of dietary Spirulina platensis supplementation on cecal, the height of intestinal villi, and the depth of crypts in Arian strain broiler chickens examined. The results indicated Spirulina increased villus height, reduced crypt depth, and improved the villus-to-crypt ratio in the duodenum jejunum and ileum, suggesting enhanced nutrient absorption. Moreover, Spirulina supplementation increased beneficial bacteria (lactobacilli) and reduced harmful bacteria (coliforms), improving overall gut health and reducing digestive problems. Further research is advised to explore the economic benefits of using Spirulina in the poultry industry.
... Regarding ZnONPs supplements, our results contradict the finding of Reda et al. (2021) revealed that when growing Japanese quail were given ZnONPs supplementation, no significant differences were found in blood cell differential counts, lymphocytes, granulocytes, haemoglobin concentration, or platelet count. A small quantity of SP enhances both the humoral and cellular mechanisms of the immune system in chickens, thereby improving immune function and growth (Qureshi et al., 1996;Khan et al., 2005). Regarding the effect of SP supplements on blood hematological parameters, the present results explain that despite SP did not increase Hb, RBC, and WBC values, it did not have a negative effect on these measurements and kept them slightly above the control value. ...
... Additionally, Tate et al. (1999) highlighted zinc's ability to enhance antioxidant activity by reducing free radical production. Furthermore, Bhat et al. (2000) and Khan et al. (2005) reported that SP exhibits potent antioxidant properties. Thus, our data showed a synergistic effect between ZnONPs and the active antioxidant components in SP, resulting in increased antioxidant enzyme activity in the ZnONPs+SP mixture groups compared to those that received ZnONPs and SP separately. ...
... Arshad et al. (2013) had also reported that antioxidant (α-lipoic acid)-supplemented diets had significant variation on the body weight and feed conversion ratio of broilers. Total body weight gain was more in supplemented treatment, this increase in body weight may be because of its properties like increase protein utilization, rich protein source and have immunomodulatory properties (Khan et al., 2005). Additionally the positive effect on LBW, BWG, FCR due to feeding mulberry supplemented diet a good source of protein for animals (Wang et al., 2017). ...
The performance of hybrid chickens fed plant–protein diets was compared to those fed diets supplemented with Ziziphus, Jatropha, white berry, black berry and pomegranate leaves extracted meal at level of (0.5 g/kg) or Vit. E. Two hundred and forty, 2 weeks-old unsexed Arbor acres chicks were used. A total number of 30 chicks were allocated for each treatment, divided into 3 replicates (10 birds/each) and housed in broiler cages. The chicks were fed the experimental grower diets from 2 to 6 weeks of age during summer season. All chicks were managed in similar fashion and had free access to feed and water throughout grower period. Measurements include were growth performance, carcass quality, digestibility and some plasma constituents.Results obtained showed that: growth performance criteria were positively (P ≤ 0.05) affected by dietary supplementation with Ziziphus, Jatropha, white berry, black berry and pomegranate leaves extracted meal in the diet during the whole growing period. Digestible coefficients of CP, EE, NFE and ash retention were increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) by dietary additions. Broilers fed the herb leaves extract-supplemented diet had significantly higher HDL, SOD, urea, ALT and creatinine levels than positive or negative control. This indicates better liver function as also appears from the normal architecture with a normal size central vein (CV) and several homogenous masses of liver cords with normal hepatocytes (h) and few fatty cirrhotic areas (f). It can be concluded that phytogenic extracted meals have a beneficial effect on growth performance and liver histology especially in summer season.
... Interestingly, feeding natural, rather than synthetic, antioxidant could be advantageous to animal welfare and consumer safety (Call et al., 2008;Makkar et al., 2007). The blue-green algae, Spirulina platensis, have been considered as a suitable natural antioxidant and immune-stimulant to humans and animals with fewer side effects and more cost effectiveness than synthetic products (Abdel-Daim et al., 2013;Belay, 2002;Khan et al., 2005). Recently, the impact of dietary Spirulina supplementation on animal health and productivity have been reported . ...
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Spirulina platensis powder (SPP) supplementation on growth performance, antioxidative status and blood metabolites in fattening lambs. Ten healthy lambs (46.5 ± 1.06 kg BW) were randomly assigned to one of two treatments (5 lambs per treatment) and received either no supplementation or supplemented with SPP at a rate of 1 g/10 kg BW/day. The feeding experiment was conducted for 35 days with body weight recorded and blood samples collected on days 0, 17 and 35 of the experiment. The paired Student’s t-test for means was used for statistical analysis. The results showed that SPP supplementation improved final live body weight, daily live weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio, compared to the control group (P<0.05). Also, haemoglobin, total white blood cell count, serum globulin, vitamin A and reduced glutathione were higher (P<0.05), while the aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, cholesterol, glucose and serum malondialdehyde levels were lower (P<0.05) in SPP supplemented group compared with the control. In conclusion, the findings of the present study clearly demonstrate that the SPP could be incorporated in fattening lambs diets as an antioxidant, immune-stimulant and growth promoter feed additive.
... In agreement with these findings, Pestana et al. [49] also reported that supplementation of Spirulina platensis did not affect MDA levels in breast and thigh meat. Spirulina platensis enhances antioxidant activity in poultry due to its rich C-phycocyanin, an antioxidant biliprotein pigment with hypolipidemic activity [52,53]. The increase in TAS levels and antioxidant enzyme activities observed in the present study supports this hypothesis. ...
Spirulina platensis is a natural antioxidant product that has the ability to improve the performance of poultry. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effect of using Spirulina platensis as a feed additive in broiler diets. A total of 252 daily male Ross 308 chicks were randomly assigned to six groups. There were two different protein groups: one was at the catalog protein value, and the other was reduced by 10%. Spirulina platensis at 0, 0.1, and 0.2% was added to each protein group. The trial lasted 41 days. Reducing the protein level by 10% had a negative impact on the performance of the chicks. However, Spirulina platensis supplementation had a positive effect on the feed conversion ratio, reduced the oxidative stress index in the chicks’ liver and meat, increased the total antioxidant status and antioxidant enzyme activities, improved the villus height, serum IgG, and some bone parameters, and reduced the serum triglyceride concentration. The carcass yield, visceral organ weight percentages, total phenolic content, and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the thigh meat and some serum biochemical parameters were not affected by the usage of Spirulina platensis. In conclusion, 0.1% Spirulina platensis could be a feasible feed additive in low-protein diets due to eliciting an improved performance, antioxidant status, and immune response in broilers.
... In addition, Spirulina contains high amounts of several functional physiologically active substances [27,31], including among others various pigments, such as carotenoid pigments (β-carotene), chlorophylls and phycobiliprotein pigment-protein complexes (C-phycocyanin, allophycocyanin), tocopherol, various phenolic acids (salicylic, trans-cinnamic, synaptic, chlorogenic, quinic, and caffeic acids), flavonoids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (the essential γ-linolenic acid included and forming up to 40% of total fatty acids) [22][23][24][25][26]30,32]. Many of these compounds are known for their antioxidant activity and contribute to the marked antioxidant properties of Spirulina by interacting with each other or with other micro-nutrients [2,3,30,33,34]. Other valuable biological activities reported for the bioactive components of Spirulina include anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, hypolipidemic, prebiotic, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoal, and anticancer activity [2,3,20,[35][36][37]. ...
The broiler industry is pivotal in meeting the growing global demand for highly nutritious animal protein foods. Hence, there is a continuous interest in identifying novel, alternative, and even unconventional feed resources that could help sustainably support chicken meat production and quality. In this view, the microalga Spirulina (Arthrospira, formerly Spirulina, platensis), due to its unique chemical composition and some ecological advantages offered by its cultivation over traditional agriculture, has attracted great attention in the poultry sector for potential application in broiler diet, either as a functional supplement or a replacer of conventional protein sources such as soybean meal. The studies conducted so far seem to have confirmed many of the initial expectations regarding the advantages that may derive from dietary Spirulina supplementation, documenting its capacity to positively influence the intestinal and general health status of broiler chickens, leading to improved or preserved productive performance (under normal or challenging conditions, respectively), as well as to increased disease resistance and survivability. Furthermore, dietary Spirulina supplementation has been shown to induce positive changes in some important traits of broiler meat quality. However, at present, the inclusion of Spirulina in broiler diet, especially but not solely in relation to the use as an alternative protein source, presents sever-al technical and economic limitations. To increase the overall awareness around the actual usefulness and practical usability of Spirulina as a novel natural component of the broiler diet, this review paper seeks to provide a comprehensive and integrated presentation of what is currently known about this topic, highlighting critical issues that are still pending and would require further research efforts.
... The latest studies indicate the importance of spirulina algae and consider it an important source as an antidote to genetic mutations [27]. It has also been used to treat many diseases, including allergies, diabetes, and obesity [28]. Spirulina algae helps lower blood cholesterol levels by stimulating the immune system [29]. ...
The most important cause of diseases that many do not know is increased acidity in the body! The body must remain moderate between acidic and alkaline in the normal ratio or lean slightly toward alkalinity, but now the human body has become more acidic! Due to the frequent consumption of sugars, meat, cheese, milk derivatives, pastries, canned food, preservatives, chemicals, etc., fungi and algae are microscopic living organisms rich in nutrients and compounds with therapeutic properties. With the increase in awareness of health and the search for sustainable food sources, interest has increased in its role in nutrition, spices, and treatment. In this chapter, we will discuss these concepts and the importance of the red or reishi mushrooms, Ganoderma lucidium, and the algae, Spirulina platensis.
... Cyanobacteria create substances that enable protection against ultraviolet (UV) radiation and substances that might lessen excessive dehydration and oxidative stress to survive such extreme conditions (Sinha & Häder, 2008;Tamaru et al., 2005). Numerous cyanobacteria species, including Spirulina, have also been shown to be rich in nutrients, including proteins, vital fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, all of which are crucial ingredients in cosmetic formulas (Khan et al., 2005). Tyrosinase activity assay (Sano & Kaya, 1996) ...
This chapter explores the challenges and opportunities in cosmeceutical formulations incorporating natural excipients. Researchers face stability and formulation issues due to the use of botanical, mineral, and biocompatible materials. To maintain potency, innovative biotechnology and green chemistry solutions have been developed. Nanoencapsulation methods improve the stability and bioavailability of natural actives. Synergistic combinations of bioactive ingredients and botanical extracts offer new treatments for various skin conditions. Natural cosmeceuticals are a combination of scientific research and botanical knowledge aimed at sustainable skincare products. A nuanced understanding of these opportunities and challenges is crucial for a sustainable future for environmental stewardship and skincare innovation.
... Similarly, spirulina, a microalga rich in proteins and essential nutrients, has shown potential benefits in reducing oxidative stress and regulating glucose metabolism (Hu et al., 2020). The polysaccharides and pigments such as phycocyanin and carotenoids in spirulina are primarily responsible for its antioxidant properties, acting through various mechanisms to protect cells from oxidative damage (Khan et al., 2018). ...
... After maceration, the extract was filtered to remove solid residues, then concentrated using a rotary evaporator at 40°C under reduced pressure. The extract obtained was stored at 4°C in amber vials until it was used to assess antioxidant and anti-diabetic activity in vitro (Khan et al., 2018;Hu et al., 2020). ...
This study focused on the in-vitro biological activities of ethanolic extracts of Phillyrea latifolia, Phillyrea angustifolia and spirulina. Belonging to the Oleaceae family. Antioxidant activity was measured using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging method. In addition, in vitro anti-diabetic activity was achieved by inhibition of the α-glucosidase enzyme. Extraction of the ethanolic extracts of Phillyrea latifolia, Phillyrea angustifolia and Spirulina gave yields of 0.89%, 0.93% and 11.18% respectively. The tests showed that the ethanolic extracts of these two plants, as well as spirulina, possessed significant antioxidant potential, with IC50s of 36 μg/ml, 30.85 μg/ml, and 25.76 μg/ml respectively. In addition, the ethanolic extracts of the two plants and spirulina showed significant anti-diabetic potential, with IC50s of around 22.19 mg/ml, 24.55ug/ml and 18.87ug/ml. These results highlight the antioxidant and anti-diabetic potential of ethanolic extracts of Phillyrea latifolia, Phillyrea angustifolia and spirulina, which is known to be a natural antioxidant. The results obtained confirm the information already available in the scientific literature, underlining the interest of these extracts as promising natural agents for improving health and well-being. These extracts could offer effective natural alternatives for preventing or treating diseases linked to oxidative stress and diabetes, reinforcing their relevance in the field of natural medicine and dietary supplements.
