Review Article

A perspective studies on marine – Hypnea valentiae S. Dhanalakshmi*, S. Jayakumari

ABSTRACT

Seaweeds are the potential marine living resources in the world. More than 20,000 seaweeds are distributed throughout the world, of which only 221 (1.1%) are commercially utilized, which includes 145 species for food and 110 species for phycocolloid production (Sahoo, 2000). The biodiversity of the marine environment and the associated chemical diversity constitute a practically unlimited resource of new active substances in the field of the development of bioactive products. Carrageenans are galactans extracted mainly from species belonging to . These sulfated galactans, consist of linear chains of D-galactopyranoses linked. Seaweeds constitute some of the most important reservoirs of new therapeutic compounds for humans. Several of them have been shown to have many biological activities, including anticancer activity, in this present review study is mainly focused on Hypnea valentiae.

KEY WORDS: Seaweeds, Red algae, Hypnea valentiae, Biodiversity, Phytoconstituent

INTRODUCTION Descriptive Name Hypnea with upturned spines. The biodiversity of the marine environment and the associated chemical diversity constitute a practically Features unlimited resource of new active substances in the field 1. Plants are dark red-brown, 100–300 mm tall, of the development of bioactive products.[1] Seaweeds with definite upright branches bearing, radial side constitute some of the most important reservoirs of branches, gradually shorter[10] new therapeutic compounds for humans.[2] 2. Short spine-like branches, few on main branches, [11] Red Algae point upward Rhodophytes contain chlorophyll a which is masked Usual habitat common in sheltered localities but where [3,4] by phycobilin pigments bound to proteins. The there is appreciable current flow, from shallow water chloroplasts in red algae resemble cyanobacteria both to 11 m deep similar species Hypneacharoides but that biochemically and structurally. Food reserves are species has denser spines that are at right angles to [5] stored outside of the chloroplasts as floridean starch. branches.[12] Of the approximately 6000 species, most red algae are [6] marine; only a few occur in freshwater. PHYTOCONSTITUENT NATURE IN Classification[7-9] RED ALGAE Phylum: Rhodophyta One benefit of red marine algae is its antioxidant Order: Gigartinales effect, which counters damage free radicals do to cells. Family: Hypneaceae (Figure 1) Red marine algae are also an anti-viral compound. Species: valentiae (Turner) Montagne. The carrageenans - a type of sugar molecule - found in red marine algae are believed to boost interferon Access this article online production in the immune system and might be an effective preventative against diseases such as HIV, Website: jprsolutions.info ISSN: 0975-7619 shingles, and cold sores.[13] They contain high amounts

Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vels Institute of Science Technology and Advanced Studies, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

*Corresponding author: S. Dhanalakshmi, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vels Institute of Science Technology and Advanced Studies, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. E-mail: [email protected]

Received on: 19-10-2017; Revised on: 23-11-2017; Accepted on: 12-02-2018

266 Drug Invention Today | Vol 10 • Issue 3 • 2018 S. Dhanalakshmi and S. Jayakumari

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