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© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Infectious diseases have significantly shaped human history, leading to significant advancements in medical science. The discovery and development of antibiotics represented a critical breakthrough, but the rise of antibiotic-resistant pathogens now presents a serious global health threat. Due to the limitations of current synthetic antimicrobials, such as toxicity and environmental concerns, it is essential to explore alternative solutions. Algae, particularly microalgae and cyanobacteria, have emerged as promising sources of bioactive antimicrobial compounds. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the antimicrobial properties of algal-derived compounds, including polysaccharides, fatty acids, and phenols, which have shown effectiveness against multi-drug-resistant bacteria. A co-occurrence bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer highlighted five key research clusters: antibiotic resistance, algal extracts, biosynthesis, water treatment, and novel pharmacological compounds. Furthermore, the primary mechanisms of action of these bioactive compounds, such as the inhibition of protein synthesis and cell membrane disruption, were identified, demonstrating their potential against both common and multi-resistant pathogens. Future research should prioritize optimizing algal biomass production, utilizing genetic and metabolic engineering, and creating innovative delivery systems to enhance the efficient production of bioactive compounds.

Details

Title
Natural Antimicrobial Agents from Algae: Current Advances and Future Directions
Author
Zuorro, Antonio 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Lavecchia, Roberto 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Contreras-Ropero, Jefferson E 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; García Martínez, Janet B 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Barajas-Ferreira, Crisóstomo 3 ; Barajas-Solano, Andrés F 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Environment, Sapienza University, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Roma, Italy; [email protected] 
 Department of Environmental Sciences, Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander, Av. Gran Colombia No. 12E-96, Cucuta 540003, Colombia; [email protected] (J.E.C.-R.); [email protected] (J.B.G.M.); [email protected] (A.F.B.-S.) 
 School of Chemical Engineering, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Cra 27, Calle 9, Bucaramanga 680006, Colombia; [email protected] 
First page
11826
Publication year
2024
Publication date
2024
Publisher
MDPI AG
ISSN
16616596
e-ISSN
14220067
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3126053109
Copyright
© 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.