Investigation of antiviral activity of four microalgae and two cyanobacteria extracts on infectious bronchitis virus

Articles > Article · 2026

Authors: Eylem Atak, Büşra Ak, Furkan Ozan Çöven, Ayşe NALBANTSOY, Zeliha DEMİREL, Meltem DALAY

Su Ürünleri Dergisi (EgeJFAS), National Refreed University Journal, National, Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), 2026, vol 43, pp 86-93

DOI: doi.org/10.12714/egejfas.43.1.10

Summary

<p>Abstract:&nbsp;Many&nbsp;studies&nbsp;indicate&nbsp;that&nbsp;microalgae&nbsp;and&nbsp;cyanobacteria,&nbsp;widely&nbsp;used&nbsp;in&nbsp;cosmetics,&nbsp;medicine,&nbsp;various&nbsp;industrial&nbsp;areas,&nbsp;and&nbsp;as&nbsp;food&nbsp;sources&nbsp;for&nbsp;humans&nbsp;and&nbsp;animals,&nbsp;have&nbsp;potential&nbsp;applications&nbsp;in&nbsp;alternative&nbsp;treatments.&nbsp;These&nbsp;species&nbsp;have&nbsp;high&nbsp;nutritional&nbsp;value&nbsp;due&nbsp;to&nbsp;their&nbsp;high&nbsp;protein,&nbsp;carbohydrate,&nbsp;and&nbsp;fatty&nbsp;acid&nbsp;content.&nbsp;Microalgae&nbsp;display&nbsp;diverse&nbsp;morphological&nbsp;and&nbsp;physiological&nbsp;features,&nbsp;and&nbsp;their&nbsp;biological&nbsp;properties&nbsp;vary&nbsp;according&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;metabolites&nbsp;they&nbsp;produce.&nbsp;The&nbsp;therapeutic&nbsp;properties&nbsp;of&nbsp;microalgae&nbsp;have&nbsp;been&nbsp;investigated&nbsp;in&nbsp;numerous&nbsp;scientific&nbsp;studies.&nbsp;The&nbsp;literature&nbsp;reports&nbsp;that&nbsp;microalgae&nbsp;possess&nbsp;anticancer,&nbsp;cholesterol-lowering,&nbsp;anti-inflammatory,&nbsp;antioxidant,&nbsp;and&nbsp;antiviral&nbsp;activities,&nbsp;as&nbsp;well&nbsp;as&nbsp;the&nbsp;ability&nbsp;to&nbsp;stimulate&nbsp;the&nbsp;immune&nbsp;system.&nbsp;Interest&nbsp;in&nbsp;compounds&nbsp;with&nbsp;antiviral&nbsp;activity&nbsp;against&nbsp;SARS-CoV-2,&nbsp;which&nbsp;emerged&nbsp;in&nbsp;China&nbsp;and&nbsp;spread&nbsp;worldwide,&nbsp;is&nbsp;currently&nbsp;at&nbsp;its&nbsp;peak.&nbsp;The&nbsp;discovery&nbsp;and&nbsp;isolation&nbsp;of&nbsp;bioactive&nbsp;compounds&nbsp;with&nbsp;antiviral&nbsp;effects&nbsp;is&nbsp;of&nbsp;great&nbsp;importance.&nbsp;In&nbsp;this&nbsp;study,&nbsp;the&nbsp;antiviral&nbsp;effects&nbsp;of&nbsp;Arthrospira&nbsp;platensis,&nbsp;Prasinococcus&nbsp;sp.,&nbsp;Nanofrustulum&nbsp;shiloi,&nbsp;Phaeodactylum&nbsp;tricornutum,&nbsp;Scenedesmus&nbsp;sp.,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Pseudanabaena&nbsp;sp.&nbsp;were&nbsp;investigated.&nbsp;The&nbsp;antiviral&nbsp;effects&nbsp;of&nbsp;extracts&nbsp;from&nbsp;these&nbsp;microalgae/cyanobacteria&nbsp;species&nbsp;were&nbsp;assessed&nbsp;by&nbsp;in&nbsp;ovo&nbsp;experiments&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;embryonated&nbsp;chicken&nbsp;egg&nbsp;system&nbsp;using&nbsp;the&nbsp;Infectious&nbsp;Bronchitis&nbsp;Virus&nbsp;(IBV)&nbsp;D274&nbsp;strain,&nbsp;which&nbsp;agglutinates&nbsp;erythrocytes.&nbsp;Among&nbsp;the&nbsp;microalgae/cyanobacteria&nbsp;species,&nbsp;Pseudanabaena&nbsp;sp.,&nbsp;which&nbsp;exhibits&nbsp;the&nbsp;lowest&nbsp;hemagglutination&nbsp;activity&nbsp;(log2HA=4&nbsp;at&nbsp;5&nbsp;mg/kg&nbsp;and&nbsp;log2HA=5&nbsp;at&nbsp;10&nbsp;mg/kg),&nbsp;shows&nbsp;the&nbsp;strongest&nbsp;and&nbsp;most&nbsp;potent&nbsp;antiviral&nbsp;activity&nbsp;and&nbsp;is&nbsp;more&nbsp;effective&nbsp;at&nbsp;5&nbsp;mg/kg&nbsp;than&nbsp;at&nbsp;10&nbsp;mg/kg.&nbsp;</p>

View details