Sustainable Marine Structures

Biochemical Composition and Anticancer Effect of Different Seaweed Species (In-vitro and In-vivo Studies)

T H Ranahewa

Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lank

A. D. Premarathna

Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

R.M. K.K. Wijesundara

Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

V. Wijewardana

Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; Department of Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Vienna, Austria

A. P. Jayasooriya

Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka; Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies

R.P. V.J. Rajapakse

Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/sms.v1i2.94

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Abstract

Seaweed is an enormous resource comprised with natural bioactive compounds with several therapeutic effects including anticancer activity. In this context, the biochemical composition of seaweed plays a major role. Many biochemical compounds isolated from seaweed, fractions of seaweed and crude extracts has revealed ability of seaweed to fight against several cancer types. In this contrast seaweed extracts inhibit cancer cell growth and proliferation by inducing apoptosis and by inhibiting metastasis activity. In this review, biochemical and anticancer properties of seaweeds are discussed and this will provide the basic information to develop a novel chemotherapeutic drug to challenge the cancers.

Keywords: Seaweed; Biochemical; Bioactive; Anticancer; Apoptosis

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