Pharmaceutical Botany

Department of Pharmacy and Chemistry ALGAE

University of Immaculate Conception JOURNAL

Utilization of Red Algae (Gracilaria changii)

Properties as a Medicinal Substance
A COMPILATION OF STUDIES  Shaira M Muksan
One of the oldest groups under the eukaryotic algae are the red algae, also known as the
Rhodophyta. It has 5,000 to 10,000 species making it even one of the most massive species of algae.
Most red algae are multicellular, marine, and can perform sexual reproduction (Gupta, 2012).

Red algae such as graciliariales (Gracilaria changii) are essential agarophytes in the western Pacific,
commonly found in coastal areas. These are used to make products such as agar, carrageenan, and other
food additives (Ng, Lin, Lim, Hurtado, Phang, Yow, & Sun, 2017).

Aside from the uses mentioned, red algae (Gracilaria changii) possess properties that can be
utilized as medical substances.

Anti-Inflammatory, Gastroprotective, Antioxidant and Hypolipidemic

And Antiulcerogenic Properties
Gracilaria changii is traditionally used in
Southeast Asia for various diseases such as
inflammation and gastric ailments. In 2013, Shu,
Appleton, Zandi, and AbuBakar subjected the
MeOHGCM6 extract from algae to different
experiments. The extract showed protective
effects against gastric injury, and it was able to
fasten the healing processes of ulcers. Moreover,
it exhibits activities that prevent the repetition of
ulcers. Therefore, the said type of algae is a
potential medication for inflammatory and gastric
ulcerogenic activity.
Antimicrobial and Antifungal
Properties
Antibiotics are substances produced by
microorganisms that are hostile to the life and
growth of other microorganisms. The antimicrobial
activities of methanol, methanol–chloroform,
diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, and butanol extracts
of Gracilaria changii were studied by Sasidharan,
Darah, and Noordi in 2009. The extracts showed
significant activities against 22 bacteria, six yeast
strains, and 11 fungal isolates. Therefore, various
extracts of the red algae (Gracilaria changii) are
potential antimicrobial and antifungal substances.
Properties
Obesity and hyperlipidemia have been
associated with the increasing consumption of
foods rich in fat and cholesterol. In a 2014 study
of Chan, Matanjun, Yasir, and Tan, the red
seaweed (Gracilaria changii) has shown
antioxidant and cholesterol-reducing effects. The
abundant polysaccharides and dietary fibers
present in the algae play a significant role in
reducing cholesterol levels by altering the plasma
and tissues' triglyceride levels. Therefore, it is
proven that the algae (Gracilaria changii) are
effective in preventing and treating
hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia.
Nutritional Composition and
Physicochemical Properties
The minerals, vitamins, carotenoids, amino
acids, fatty acids profiles, and some
physicochemical properties of Gracilaria
changii were found to be healthy and are possible
natural functional foods. Moreover, physiochemical
properties were found to be fiber-rich products.
This would mean that it could be potentially used
as ingredients to improve nutritive value foods for
human consumption (Chan & Matanjun, 2016).

Overall, based on various studies and experiments, red algae (Gracilaria changii) have anti-
inflammatory, gastroprotective, antiulcerogenic, antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, and hypolipidemic
properties that can be used as medicinal substances.
 References

Chan, P.T., & Matanjun, P. (2016). Chemical composition and physicochemical properties of tropical red
seaweed, Gracilaria changii. Food Chemistry, 221. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.10.066.

Chan, P.T., Matanjun, P., Yasir, S.M., & Tan, S.T. (2014) Antioxidant and hypolipidaemic properties of
red seaweed, Gracilaria changii . J Appl Phycol 26, 987–99. DOI: 10.1007/s10811-013-0135-z

Gupta, R. (2012). Red Algae’s and its Medicinal and Therapeutic Uses. International Journal of Science
Inventions Today, 1(1), 27-31. ISSN: 2319 5436
Ng PK, Lin SM, Lim PE, Hurtado AQ, Phang SM, Yow YY, & Sun Z. (2017). Genetic and morphological
analyses of Gracilaria firma and G. changii (Gracilariaceae, Rhodophyta), the commercially
important agarophytes in western Pacific. PLoS One, 12(7). Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182176.
PMID: 28759629; PMCID: PMC5536327.

Sasidharan, S., Darah, I., & Noordi, M.K. (2009). Screening antimicrobial activity of various extracts of
Gracilaria changii, Pharmaceutical Biology, 47:1, 72-76, DOI: 10.1080/13880200802434161

Shu, M., Appleton, D., Zandi, K., & AbuBakar, S. (2013). Anti-inflammatory, gastroprotective and anti-
ulcerogenic effects of red algae Gracilaria changii (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) extract. BMC
Complement Altern Med 13, 61. DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-61