Bioactive Algae in Wound Healing: Natural Solutions for Modern Medicine

ABSTRACT

The increased focus on green and environmentally friendly approaches to wound healing has prompted consideration of marine resources as a source of bioactive agents: in particular, algae contain a variety of compounds. The purpose of this paper concerns the versatile function and characteristics of algae, which includes anti-inflammatory properties, antibacterial activity, and a variety of other characteristics. Algae products have water-retaining and biocompatibility properties that enable the growth of body cells and new tissues without the formation of scars and contracting skin. This paper looks at the possibility of algae being used as a basis for new wound care formulations in the form of hydrogels and topical formulations. Finally, using algae’s features in wound healing treatments is one of the ideas of combining biological and medical innovation to create safer and more eco-friendly medicines for patients.

INTRODUCTION

Wound healing is a biological process that involves coagulation, inflammation, tissue proliferation, maturation, and remodeling. Traditional management of wounds in many conventional systems involves the use of biosynthetic dressings and topical preparations that may offer limited efficacy and also side effects. Some algae contain different bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, phenolics, and fatty acids to use in wound healing. The simplest forms of plant life, if one might call algae that way, have found themselves in the race of modern medicine, particularly as important facilitators of wound healing processes. (Kumar, M., et al. (2015).[1] These proteins, polysaccharides, and essential fatty acids present in algae possess anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties (Kumar et al., 2015).[1] The current literature shows that some of the algal extracts enhance tissue remodeling, reduce scarring, and promote faster healing of tissues.[2,3] These natural properties are being explored by using them to research new wound healing therapies that expedite the healing process and have fewer negative impacts affiliated with synthetic alternatives.[4] Due to their immunomodulatory properties, the extracts derived from algae help decrease inflammation and corresponding pain, and due to their antimicrobial properties, they prevent infections, which are rather crucial in wound healing.[4,5] Besides, algae promote cell division and mobility that are fundamental for tissue recovery, moreover, algae enhance the formation of an extracellular matrix, which is essential for the wound healing process.[2,3] Also, the usage of algal-derived materials ensures biocompatibility and high moisture content that enhances rapid healing with little or no harmful effects (Kumar et al., 2015).[1]

Bioactive compounds

Seaweeds belong to the major producers of bioactive polysaccharides, including alginates, carrageenans, and fucoidans. The algae consist of different types of bioactive compounds which is listed in Table 1. These bioactive compounds having various role in wound healing [Table 2].

Table 1.

Algae used in wound healing

Algae	Species	Bioactive compounds	Mechanism of action	References
Green algae	Chlorella vulgaris	Proteins, vitamins, antioxidants	Enhances collagen synthesis	Shaibi et al.[14] (2021), Kumar et al.[15] (2020)
Blue-green	Spirulina platensis	Phycocyanin, fatty acids	Antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory	Shukla et al.[16] (2020)
Brown algae	Fucus vesiculosus	Alginates, fucoidan	Moisture retention, tissue regeneration	Wang et al.[17] (2019), Zhang et al.[18] (2020)
Brown algae	Laminaria digitata	Fucoidan, mannitol	Cell proliferation	Ghosh et al.[19] (2022), Farhan et al.[20] (2021)
Red algae	Chondrus crispus	Carrageenan, agar	Modulates inflammatory response	López et al.[21] (2021), Molla et al.[22] (2020)
Red algae	Gelidium spp.	Carrageenan	Accelerates healing	Rahman et al.[23] (2023), Khan et al.[24] (2019)

Table 2.

Mechanisms of action of algal compounds in wound healing

Bioactive compound	Algae	Mechanism of action	References
Fucoidan	Brown algae	Promotes fibroblast proliferation and collagen synthesis	Wang et al.[17] (2019), Ghanbarzadeh et al.[25] (2021)
Carrageenan	Red algae	Reduces inflammation and accelerates healing	López et al.[21] (2021), Molla et al.[22] (2020)
Phycocyanin	Green algae	Antioxidant properties and enhances healing response	Shukla et al.[16] (2020), Irfan et al.[26] (2021)
Alginates	Brown algae	Forms gel-like matrices for a moist healing environment	Zhang et al.[18] (2020), Jamil et al.[27] (2022)
Antioxidants	Various algae	Scavenges free radicals, reducing oxidative stress	Shaibi et al.[14] (2021), Uddin et al.[28] (2020)

Cell proliferation and migration: It is possible to elevate fibroblast and keratinocyte materiality growth and movement, which are crucial for the healing process, by means of using algal compounds. Enhanced cell migration helps in undertaking a fast wound healing process also known as re-epithelialization (Kumar et al., 2015).[1]

Hydration and barrier integrity: It is important to maintain a humid environment in the bearing of the wound. Hydrogels derived from algae help maintain the moisture of the affected area and form a protective barrier over tissue injuries that reduces pain and promotes a faster rate of healing.[3,4]

Biocompatibility: Algal materials are bio-compatible and provoke negligible levels of inflammation implying them for use as wound gauze and in other clinical uses.[2,5]

Algae in wound healing

Chlorella: This microalga is nutritionally blessed with proteins, vitamins, and minerals that reform skin health as well as promote a quicker healing process due to the antioxidant property of this microalga.[6]

Spirulina: Is known for higher levels of protein and anti-inflammatory substances; thus, it has shown potential for the promotion of cell growth and repair in secondary tropical applications.[7]

Laminaria: The alginates coming from this type of brown algae produce gels that retain moisture thus, supporting the healing process with reduced scar formation.[8]

Fucus vesiculosus: Has fucoidan that shows anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties as well as prevents infection of the wound.[9]

Chondrus crispus (Irish Moss): Rich in carrageenan, it might be used to create hydrogels that shield wounds whilst maintaining moist.[10]

Gelidium: Popular for the presence of agar, these red algae are used in wound dressing to create a moist healing environment (Kumar et al., 2019).[11]

Spirulina platensis: Spirulina for its nourishing value makes the process of wound healing easier by reducing inflammation levels and by promoting tissue generation.[12]

Dunaliella salina: Rich in beta carotene it has antioxidant qualities that help protect skin cells as well as assist in the healing process.[13]

Haematococcus pluvialis: This microalga has rich astaxanthin content and has a strong ability to eliminate oxidative stress in injuries, according to Friedman et al., (2016).[14,39]

Mechanisms of action

These biochemical characteristics and the ability of algae to interact with biosystems provide the rationale for using algae in wound healing.

Antimicrobial properties: Algae contains multiple bioactive compounds polyphenols and phycocyanins, which have antimicrobial properties, these compounds prevent bacterial and fungal growth that leads to infections in wounds.[28]; (Bhat et al., 2020).[40]

Anti-inflammatory Effects: Some algal extracts decrease the production of the cytokines associated with inflammatory processes. It also enhances a favorable healing environment and reduces undesirable further tissue breakdown during the healing process (Rasul et al., 2021).[29,30,41]

Cells division and movements: Algae can secrete growth factors and cytokines, which are needed for fibroblast and keratinocyte activation, and repair (Duan et al., 2020).[31,32,33,35]

Moisture retention

Alginate and carrageenan used in algal polysaccharides have properties of absorbing water to retain water which is good in healing processes. This may help minimize scur formation in addition to increasing epithelization.[34]

Antioxidant activity

It does contain antioxidants, substances that work to mitigate free radicals that are produced as a result of inflammation. This antioxidant activity could lower the instance of oxidative stress on damaged cells and help improve wound healing (Ochoa et al., 2020).[33,34,35,36,37,38]

Scaffold formation

Hydrogels derived from algae offer potential for tissue engineering applications because algae provide the hydrogel scaffold.[39,40,41] They give a three-axis structure that allows cell attachment, proliferation, and differentiation for the restoration of harmful tissues (Azevedo et al., 2019).[42,43,44] Algal materials are usually non-irritating to the host tissue and biodegradable; thus, there is little chance of tissue reactions, and the materials disintegrate as the wound heals (Kumar et al., 2021).[45]

CONCLUSION

Algae have a high potential and are thus considered a sustainable source of development for wound healing therapies because of their numerous bioactive components and beneficial characteristics. However, due to the increase in the need for therapeutic and cost-effective healing agents with high biocompatibility, research on natural sources has emerged as an important topic of interest in the field of wound healing.[27] Several studies evidence that algae use a complex system to encourage healing that includes anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, proliferative, and regenerative properties that significantly enhance the recovery process.[42] The unique composition of algae through a broad spectrum of bioactive molecules like polysaccharides, proteins, and antioxidants are crucial in determining the medical function.[28] Although these components are useful they enhance the body’s own restorative processes. The ability of algal extracts to modulate inflammatory signals contributes to pain and edema relief during the progression of stages of wound healing.[29] Besides, several algal species are also effective in minimizing the effects of antibacterial properties, which are paramount when treating wounds, making healing uncomplicated.(Li, Wen, and Tang, 2020).[37] Algal extracts enhance the activity of fibroblast and keratinocytes and stimulate re-epithelialization, and collagen synthesis both of which are crucial factors in wound healing.[27] This regenerative capacity is other enhanced by the matrix augmentation of the extracellular matrix that also adds structural integrity to newly formed tissue.[30] The hydrophilic nature of the algal extracts helps in maintaining a lush enclave allowing the cellular mechanism that is necessary for the wound healing process and hinders the formation of scar tissues and dryness of the wound[31] Other conventional synthetic dressings pose potential hazards of the related reactions compared to algal ones, the use of which is more patient-focused, based on the principles of patient safety.[28] The use of algae in wound healing therapies shows that the approaches included are moving toward a holistic green healthcare model. In the current growing concerns of the environment around the globe, using algae which is a renewable resource ensures the supply of efficient medicinal solutions needed in the society as well as helps to balance the environment.[29] This ability of algae to introduce new formulations like hydrogels, dressing, and topical applications signifies a new area of development in wound care technology.[32]

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Funding Statement

Nil.