Marine Algae-Derived Bioactive Compounds: Pharmaceutical Applications and Pharmacological Activities

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Year : 2026 | Volume : 03 | 02 | Page :
By

Aaditya Thakur,

Sarbjot Singh,

Anita Devi,

Gaurav Singh,

Harshit Sharma,

Sheetal Thakur,

Anish Verma,

  1. Student, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Himachal Pharmacy College, Majhauli (Nalagarh), Himachal Pradesh, India
  2. Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Himachal Pharmacy College, Majhauli (Nalagarh), Himachal Pradesh, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Himachal Pharmacy College, Majhauli (Nalagarh), Himachal Pradesh, India
  4. Student, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Himachal Pharmacy College, Majhauli (Nalagarh), Himachal Pradesh, India
  5. Student, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Himachal Pharmacy College, Majhauli (Nalagarh), Himachal Pradesh, India
  6. Student, Bachelor of Pharmacy, Himachal Pharmacy College, Majhauli (Nalagarh), Himachal Pradesh, India
  7. Research Scholar, Department of Pharmacology, Amar Shaheed Baba Ajeet Singh, Jhujhar Singh Memorial College, Bela Ropar, India

Abstract

Antibacterial strategies that go beyond traditional target-based antibiotics are necessary because antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant and developing threat to the treatment of infectious diseases. Marine algae, which include microalgae and macroalgae (green, brown, and red seaweeds), live in chemically varied environments and produce structurally unique metabolites that can impede the persistence, virulence, and survival of bacteria. This review explores the pharmacological potential of marine algae-derived bioactive compounds against antimicrobial-resistant infections, focusing on sulfated polysaccharides, phlorotannins and other polyphenols, fatty acids, pigments, terpenoids, peptides, and other related secondary metabolites. Evidence suggests that these compounds can function through a number of complementary mechanisms, such as disruption of bacterial membranes, modification of membrane fluidity and permeability, inhibition of vital enzymes and protein synthesis, interference with cell division, metal chelation, oxidative and redox perturbation, quorum-sensing inhibition, suppression of extracellular polymeric substances, and prevention or disruption of biofilms. These multifaceted mechanisms are particularly relevant to drug-resistant pathogens, in which resistance may arise through target modification, enzymatic drug inactivation, reduced membrane permeability, active efflux, and biofilm-associated tolerance. Moreover, compounds from marine algae may act as adjuvants for antibiotics, potentiating or re-sensitizing allopatry of not so-well-known antimicrobials, rather than replacing the former. Major challenges here are chemical complexity, batch-to-batch variability, lack of standardisation in extraction procedures, scarce pharmacokinetic profile, characterisation of toxicity, difficulty in formulation and deficient validation of mode of action, and most data are still preclinical. The future of marine algae in this field should go through metabolomics, standardisation of extraction procedures, structure-activity relationship studies, better formulation, monitoring of development of resistance, and higher in vivo studies. Marine algae are an untapped but promising source of pharmacological candidates for resistant diseases through their bioactives acting as biofilm disruptors or as antibiotics-sensitising adjuvants.

Keywords: marine algae, phlorotannins, fucoidan, ulvan, sulfated polysaccharides, antibiofilm, quorum sensing

How to cite this article: Aaditya Thakur, Sarbjot Singh, Anita Devi, Gaurav Singh, Harshit Sharma, Sheetal Thakur, Anish Verma. Marine Algae-Derived Bioactive Compounds: Pharmaceutical Applications and Pharmacological Activities. International Journal of Marine Life. 2026; 03(02):-.
How to cite this URL: Aaditya Thakur, Sarbjot Singh, Anita Devi, Gaurav Singh, Harshit Sharma, Sheetal Thakur, Anish Verma. Marine Algae-Derived Bioactive Compounds: Pharmaceutical Applications and Pharmacological Activities. International Journal of Marine Life. 2026; 03(02):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijml/article=2026/view=260899

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Ahead of Print Subscription Review Article
Volume 03
02
Received 05/10/2026
Accepted 12/10/2026
Published 19/10/2026
Publication Time 14 Days

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