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Why is algae diversity important for our health
There are countless reasons to protect our oceans. One of them directly impacts our health and has to do with the importance of algae diversity.
Marine organisms like algae can be a source for new medicines, making algae diversity important for our health.
Algae produce a wide range of compounds that help them adapt to their unique environment. And some of these compounds have beneficial properties that could help treat diseases. This includes anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds to name two examples. Such compounds could offer new treatments for diseases, like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Patients with these illnesses don’t always respond well to existing treatment, creating a need for new solutions.
Each species of algae produces its own distinct set of compounds. By protecting algae diversity – and species diversity on the planet in general – we protect the potential to discover new, life-saving medicines.
In this video 4-minutes video, Luísa Barreira, a researcher at the Centre for Marine Sciences at the University of Algarve, talks about algae compounds, how they help treat diseases and why algae diversity is important for the health of humans.
Why should we look for new medicines in algae
Anti-inflammatory or antioxidant compound from macro- and microalgae could offer new ways to prevent or treat diseases like inflammatory bowel disease.
Inflammatory bowel disease affects over 6.8 million people worldwide and causes painful inflammation and injury to the bowel. Current treatments are limited and not always effective, highlighting the urgent need for new solutions.
Find out more about it in this short article and interview:
This project has received funding from the European Union‘s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement N° 101000501