SPIRULIN

A
Biological and Pharmacological Impact

Presented By Group E
Al Monsur
Anik Chowdhury
Sabbir Ahmed
Abu Jafor
INTRODUCTIO
N
• SPIRULINA (ARTHROSPIRA PLATENSIS) IS A
UNIQUE FRESHWATER PLANT THAT HAS
BEEN OF AN ENORMOUS INTEREST TO
NUTRITIONAL SCINTISTS OVER THE
PASTDECADE.IT IS THE MOST
NUTRITIONALLY CONCENTRATED
COMPACT WHOLE FOOD KNOWN TO
HUMANKIND, WHICH OWE A POTENTIAL
TO DRASTICALLY LOWER YOUR CHANCES
OF DEVELOPING CANCER, HEART DISEASE,
OR STROKE, OR OF CONTRACTING A LIFE
THREATNING VIRUS SUCH AS HIV.
SPIRULINA IS ABOUT SIXTY PERCENT
COMPLETE, HIGHLY DIGESTIBLE PROTEIN.
 ONE OF THE NATURES NEAR
PERFECT FOOD
SPIRULINA IS SIMILAR TO SEA VEGETABLES,
BELONGING TOBLUE GREEN FAMILY - BUT NOT
TRULY ALGAE.PRIMARILY PRODUCED BY TWO
SPECIES: ARTHROSIPRA PLATENSIS AND
ARTHROSPIRA MAXIMA. SPIRULINA IS ABOUT
SIXTY PERCENT COMPLETE, HIGHLY
DIGESTIBLE PROTEIN WITH VERY HIGH
"PROTEIN EFFICIENCY RATIO.“ THEREFORE IT IS
CALLED A SUPERFOOD. IT GROWS NATURALLY
IN ALKALINE WATERS OF LAKES WHICH
ENSURE CROP HYGIENE.SPIRULINA HAS 5-6%
FATTY ACIDS USUALLY NOT METABOLIZED BY
HIGHER ORGANISMS.
 COMPARING SPIRULINA
COMPARING SPIRULINA WITH OTHER FOODS SHOWS JUST HOW PACKED IT IS
WITH NUTRIENTS. A GRAM-PER-GRAM COMPARISON OF SPIRULINA FROM
HAWAII (WHICH CONTAINS THE HIGHEST NUTRIENT LEVELS OF ANY SPIRULINA)
SHOWS HOW POWERFULLY NUTRITIOUS IT IS:·
• HAWAIIAN SPIRULINA HAS 180% MORE CALCIUM THAN WHOLE MILK
• HAWAIIAN SPIRULINA HAS 5100% MORE IRON THAN SPINACH
• HAWAIIAN SPIRULINA HAS 3100% MORE BETA CAROTENE THAN CARROTS
• SPIRULINA HAVE MORE ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY
THAN FIVE SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
• COMPARING PHYTONUTRIENT LEVELS, SPIRULINA IS 31 TIMES MORE POTENT
THAN BLUEBERRIES, 60 TIMES MORE POTENT THAN SPINACH AND700 TIMES
MORE POTENT THAN APPLES.
 RESEARCH BASED HEALTH BENEFITS OF
SPIRULINA
✓ RESEARCH ON SPIRULINA'S HEALTH BENEFITS HAS BEEN FAR-RANGING.
• THE ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY EFFECTS HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED
IN THE LITERATURE. AS A RESULT, THERE IS REALLY NO WAY TO COVER ALL OF THE
LITERATURE RELATED TO ITS POTENTIAL BENEFITS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY!
• "SPIRULINA HAS BEEN EXPERIMENTALLY PROVEN, IN VIVO AND IN VITRO THAT IT
IS EFFECTIVE TO TREAT CERTAIN ALLERGIES, ANEMIA, CANCER, HEPATOTOXICITY
[TOXICITY OF THE LIVER), VIRAL AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES,
HYPERGLYCEMIA[HIGH BLOOD SUGAR), HYPERLIPIDEMIA [HIGH CHOLESTEROL
AND TRIGLYCERIDES),IMMUNODEFICIENCY, AND INFLAMMATORY PROCESSES."
• THERE ARE SCIENTIFIC STUDIES SUPPORTING NUTRIENTS IN SPIRULINA, SUCH AS
SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE, GLYCOLIPIDS, SULFOLIPIDS, VARIOUS CAROTENOIDS,
RNA, AND DNA HAVING POTENTIAL USEFULNESS IN PREVENTING AND/OR TREATING
THE FOLLOWING HEALTH CONDITIONS:
1. IRON DEFECIENCY ANAEMIA
2. PERNICIOUS ANAEMIA
3. VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY
4. PROTEIN ENERGY DISORDERS
5. INHIBITION OF MOTHER-CHILD
TRANSMISSION OF HIV
6. CANCER PREVENTION THROUGH
PROVISION OF CAROTENOIDS 10. Cardiovascular diseases (including stroke)
7. RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION 11. Type 2 Diabetes
8. ANTIOXIDANTS AGAINST ARMD 12. Obesity & hypertension
13. Neurodegenrative disorders (Parkinson's
(AGE-RELATED & Alzheimer'sdisease)
MACULARDEGENERATION) 14. Control of allergic rhinitis
9. STRENGTHENING IMMUNE DEFENCES
 OTHER HEALTH
BENEFITS
• REDUCED PAIN SENSITIVITY BY INHIBITING PROSTAGLANDINS,• Metallo-thionine compounds (proteins
WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO PAIN AND INFLAMMATION. combined with metals that bind heavy
• REMOVAL OF HEAVY METALS FROM THE BODY radioactive isotopes)
• Naturally rich in iodine.
• IMPROVEMENT OF BLOOD QUALITY AND PREVENTION OF • One of best known sources of gamma-linolenic
ANEMIA.
acid (GLA, an important fatty acid for heart and
• PROTECTION OF THE LIVER AND KIDNEYSANTI-VIRAL joints).
PROPERTIES

• SPIRULINA SHOWS FAR RANGING CARDIOVASCULAR BENEFITS

INCLUDING IMPROVEMENT OF BLOOD LIPID PROFILES,
PREVENTION OFATHEROSCLEROSIS, AND CONTROL OF
HYPERTENSION.

• PROVIDES WITH PHYTOPIGMENTS (PHYCOCYANIN,

CHLOROPHYLL, ANDCAROTENOIDS)

• METALLO-THIONINE COMPOUNDS (PROTEINS COMBINED WITH

METALS THAT BIND HEAVY RADIOACTIVE ISOTOPES)

• NATURALLY RICH IN IODINE.

 MAJOR IMPACT ON TYPE 2 DIABETES
• ROLE OF SPIRULINA IN THE CONTROL OF GLYCEMIA AND LIPIDEMIA
IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS :
1. REDUCING SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION
2. FAVORABLY ALTERING YOUR LIPID PROFILE BY REDUCING SERUM
TRIGLYCERIDES ANDINCREASING HDL.
3. IMPROVING VASODILATION IN THOSE WHO ARE OBESE AS A RESULT
OF HIGH FRUCTOSE DIETS (WHICH HAS BENEFITS FOR DIABETICS,
AS WELL AS FOR THOSE WITH HYPERTENSION AND
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE)
 SPIRULINA ON
EYES
• ROLE OF SPIRULINA IN PREVENTING CATARACTS
1. REDUCING AGE-RELATED MACULAR
DEGENERATION (ARMD) IE DETERIORATION OF
YOUR MACULA (THE REGION IN YOUR EYE
THAT CONTROLS ACUTE VISION) .
2. SPIRULINA PROVIDES CAROTENOID PIGMENTS
CALLED XANTHOPHYLLS-LUTEIN,
ZEAXANTHIN, AND POSSIBLY ASTAXANTHIN
WHICH HELP PROTECT THE EYES FROM
DAMAGE BY SLOWING DOWN ULTRAVIOLET-
INDUCED OXIDATION OF LIPID MEMBRANES,
THEREBY HELPING PREVENT DEGENERATION
OF THE MACULA.
 SPIRULINA ON
CARDIOVASCULAR
HEALTH
•
ROLE OF SPIRULINA IN TERMS OF CREATING BETTER
LIPID PROFILES, CONTROLLING HYPERTENSION, AND
INCREASING BLOOD VESSEL ELASTICITY
•DECREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND PLASMA LIPID
CONCENTRATIONS, ESPECIALLY
TRIACYLGLYCEROLS AND LOW DENSITY
LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL HAVE BEEN
DEMONSTRATED AS A RESULT OF ORAL
CONSUMPTION OF SPIRULINA.
•RESULTS ALSO SHOWED THAT HDL LEVELS SAW A
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, WHILE BOTH SYSTOLIC AND
DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE DECREASED.
•IMPROVED GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN AND
PREVENTED HYPERTENSION
ANDVASOCONSTRICTION.
 SPIRULINA ON LIVER
• ROLE OF SPIRULINA IN
PREVENTING NON-ALCOHOLIC

FATTY LIVER DISEASE :

1. PREVENTS THE BUILDUP OF
TRIGLYCERIDES IN YOUR LIVER.
2. INHIBITS LIPID PEROXIDATION.
3. REDUCES LIVER INFLAMMATION.
4. PROTECTS YOUR LIVER FROM
DAMAGE BY HEAVY METALS,
LIKE LEAD AND MERCURY.
 SPIRULINA ON BRAIN
• ROLE OF SPIRULINA IN PREVENTING STROKE :

1. REDUCES PLATELET AGGREGATION,

REDUCING RISK FOR THROMBOEMBOLISM
2. HIGHEST NEUROPROTECTIVE EFFECT.
3. PHYCOCYANIN IN SPIRULINA CAN SUPPRESS
NADPH OXIDASE, LOWERING YOUR RISK FOR
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDERS SUCH AS
PARKINSON’S AND ALZHEIMER’S.
• SPIRULINA HAS LONG BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH
IMMUNE BUILDING AND ANTI-VIRAL
PROPERTIES ALSO.
 SIDE EFFECTS
• MAY WORSEN AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS: BCAUSE SPIRULINA BOOSTS YOUR
IMMUNE SYSTEM IT MAY WORSEN CERTAIN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES SUCH AS
LUPUS, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS - IN WHICH YOUR
IMMUNE SYSTEM ATTACKS YOUR BODY SPIRULINA BOLSTERS YOUR IMMUNE
SYSTEM BY STRENGTHENING IMMUNE CELLS CALLED NATURAL KILLER (NIO
CELLS, WHICH ATTACK PERCEIVED THREATS ON A CELLULAR LEVELANIMAL AND
HUMAN STUDIES SHOW THAT THIS EFFECT MAY HELP SLOW TUMOR GROWTH
IMPROVE RESISTANCE TO ILLNESS, AND DECREASE INFLAMMATION. HOWEVER,
BY STRENGTHENING THE NK CELLS IN PEOPLE WITH AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS,
THIS ALGAE MAY EXACERBATE THESE CONDITIONS. SPIRULINA SUPPLEMENTS
HAVE ALSO BEEN LINKED TO SEVERE AUTOIMMUNE RESPONSES AFFECTING YOUR
SKIN AND MUSCLES, ALTHOUGH THIS SIDE EFFECT APPEARS TO BE VERY RARE.
 SIDE EFFECTS
• MAY SLOW BLOOD CLOTTING: SPIRULINA HAS AN ANTICOAGULANT
EFFECT, MEANING THAT IT CAN THIN YOUR BLOOD AND INCREASE THE
LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES FOR BLOOD TO CLOT CLOTTING HELPS PREVENT
EXCESSIVE BLEEDING OR BRUISING WHEN YOU'RE INJURED. FOR THOSE
TAKING BLOOD THINNERS OR WHO HAVE BLEEDING DISORDERS, SPIRULINA
MAY BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT COULD LESSEN YOUR BLOOD'S ABILITY
TO CLOT CAUSING MORE BRUISING AND BLEEDING WHILE SOME STUDIES
SUGGEST THAT SPIRULINA DOES NOT AFFECT BLOOD CLOTTING TIME,
LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT ITS EFFECTS ON PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY
TAKING BLOOD THINNERS THUS, YOU SHOULD AVOID SPIRULINA IF YOU
HAVE A BLEEDING DISORDER OR ARE ON BLOOD THINNERS
 OTHER SIDE EFFECTS
• SOME PEOPLE MAY BE ALLERGIC TO SPIRULINA. IN
SEVERE CASES, REACTIONS CAN BE FATAL. SPIRULINA
AND SOME OTHER ALGAE CONTAIN THE CHEMICAL
PHENYLALANINE. THE PEOPLE WITH
PHENYLKETONURIA (PKU) SHOULD STRICTLY AVOID
ANY KIND OF SPIRULINASUPPLEMENTS AS IT MIGHT
WORSEN PHENYLKETONURIA.THE OTHER MINOR ILL-
EFFECTS OF CONTAMINATED SPIRULINA ARE NAUSEA,
FATIGUE, WEAKNESS, AND INSOMNIA.
 BRIEF QUESTIONS

1. WHY SPIRULINA IS CALLED A SUPERFOOD ?

2. MENTION 5 RESEARCH BASED HEALTH BENEFITS OF SPIRULINA.
3. SPIRULINA MAY BE ALLERGIC ---TURE OR FALSE ?
4. “SPIRULINA HAS AN ANTICOAGULANT EFFECT” – DISCUSS ITS
CONSEQUENCES.
5. WHY SPIRULINA MAY WORSEN AUTOIMMUNE CONDITION ? MENTION
2 NAMES OF AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS/DISEASES.
6. IN WHICH CONDITION SPIRULINA SHOULD BE AVOIDED ?
THANK YOU SIR