**5. Application of PUFA**

PUFA had many helpful effects for human health so it considered as unit important elements in human nutrition. The intake of PUFA in diet, together with n-6 fatty acids, is understood to modulate the inflammatory processes among different cell functions. Although many of the species exhibited high amounts of SFA, some *Phaeophyta* and *Rhodophyta* species show higher concentrations of PUFA, and PUFA/SFA ratios higher than 1 (*H. scoparia*, 1.46; *T. atomaria*, 1.33; *C. spongiosus*, 1.77; *Peyssonnelia* sp., 1.33). Whereas, the lowest ratios were discovered in algae from the phylum Chlorophyta (0.27–0.68) [19]. It seems that this phylum incorporates a lower potential, examination to the opposite two phyla studied, as a nutritional source of PUFA for human consumption. However, not all PUFA are associated with the promotion of health benefits. For example, in the inflammation process, eicosanoids derived from n-6 PUFA are generally considered as pro-inflammatory or as promoters of other cell harmful effects, whereas n-3 PUFA derivatives are considered less inflammatory or even anti-inflammatory [20].

Since the synthesis pathway of those fatty acids depends on identical enzymes for n-3 and n-6 PUFA, the health promoting effects area unit keen about the n-6/n-3 magnitude relation of PUFA obtained through diet.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a ∑n-6/∑n-3 magnitude relation not up to 10. Almost all algae can be considered as a good source of dietary PUFA, since they showed ratios ranging between 0.29 and 6.73 [21]. The exception was *Chaetomorpha* sp., during which the ∑n-6/∑n-3 magnitude relation was the best from all the studied species (31.25) and in *D. spiralis* during which no n-3 fatty acids were detected. Besides associate degree applicable nutritionary profile, these macroalgae can also be exploited for pharmaceutical purposes.

Many of the PUFA thought-about powerful molecules against many diseases and area unit already employed in totally different medical specialty applications. For example, several reports suggest that n-3 fatty acids, mainly EPA and DHA, may have a significant potential in the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Rhodophyta was the phylum with the highest percentage of n-3 fatty acids (16–27% of total FAME), followed by Phaeophyta (0–15%), in which significant amounts of n-3 were also present. Aside from *Ulva* sp. that had 18 of n-3 FAME, Chlorophyta macroalgae conferred very cheap values of n-3 fatty acids (1–9%). Conversely, the detected n-6 fatty acids were lower in Rhodophytes (8–15%), thanks to the low concentration of linoleic acid, except for *Peyssonnelia* sp., where n-6 concentration was approximately 28% of total FAME. Phaeophytes showed the highest contents of n-6 fatty acids (23–44%), whereas chlorophytes presented mid-range values (6–27%).

Considering absolutely the concentrations of PUFA within the varied species tested, *Ulva* sp., *T. atomaria*, *C. spongiosus*, *Peyssonnelia* sp. and *B. secundiflora* possess the best contents of n-3 PUFA, 1.07, 1.38, 1.19, 1.06 and 1.42 mg/g, severally. Apart from genus *Ulva* sp., during which ALA dominated, the n-3 profile of the remaining strains was basically composed of independent agency. Nevertheless, Peyssonnelia sp. exhibited a relatively high content of DHA, 0.22 mg/g of dry biomass, coupled with an EPA concentration of 0.84 mg/g. A variety of potential applications area unit delineated for independent agency and DHA, which hold significant potential for pharmaceutical purposes, namely cancer treatment, asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, antibiotic, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, allergies, cardiovascular diseases, among others [22].

More recently, PUFA verified to own a robust potential in drug delivery; additionally to the delineated toxicity of a number of PUFA, PUFA enable a more efficient penetration of specific molecules through the cell membranes of tumor cells, due to their unique lipophilic characteristics. In fact, several studies show that tumor cells display faster PUFA intake than normal cells, as demonstrated for the conjugated taxoid DHA-paclitaxel. The nutritionary and pharmaceutical edges of PUFA, however, contrast with the increasing difficulty in finding sustainable sources of n-3 VLCPUFA, which traditionally were obtained from fish and fish oil [23].

Declining fish stocks caused by decades of overfishing makes ever more urgent to find non-traditional alternatives for the western world. As VLCPUFA are usually absent from terrestrial higher plants, traditional crops can also be excluded as viable sources of these FA. Though this deficiency can be overcome by applying genetic engineering, transgenic foods are not always well accepted by the general public. Therefore, n-3 VLCPUFA are typically associated with marine organisms, and algae, as the basis of the marine trophic chain, come out as a very promising source of VLCPUFA. In fact, large scale farming of marine algae has been accomplished successfully for hundreds of years. Approximately, 220 protoctist species area unit presently cultivated and harvested everywhere the globe for various functions. Though principally used as food for human consumption, particularly in Asia, macroalgae are also the primary source of hydrocolloids such as agar, carrageenan and alginate, which have numerous industrial applications, such as gelling, stabilizing or binding agents. The next step may somewhat be the property exploitation of marine macroalgae as different sources of VLCPUFA, not solely in Asia, however conjointly within the western world.

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**Author details**

Jithu Paul Jacob

St. Albert's College (Autonomous), Ernakulam, Kerala, India

© 2019 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

\*Address all correspondence to: jithupaul007@gmail.com

provided the original work is properly cited.

*Bioconcentration of Marine Algae Using Lipase Enzyme DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87026*

*Bioconcentration of Marine Algae Using Lipase Enzyme DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.87026*

*Microalgae - From Physiology to Application*

mid-range values (6–27%).

and fish oil [23].

within the western world.

allergies, cardiovascular diseases, among others [22].

diseases. Rhodophyta was the phylum with the highest percentage of n-3 fatty acids (16–27% of total FAME), followed by Phaeophyta (0–15%), in which significant amounts of n-3 were also present. Aside from *Ulva* sp. that had 18 of n-3 FAME, Chlorophyta macroalgae conferred very cheap values of n-3 fatty acids (1–9%). Conversely, the detected n-6 fatty acids were lower in Rhodophytes (8–15%), thanks to the low concentration of linoleic acid, except for *Peyssonnelia* sp., where n-6 concentration was approximately 28% of total FAME. Phaeophytes showed the highest contents of n-6 fatty acids (23–44%), whereas chlorophytes presented

Considering absolutely the concentrations of PUFA within the varied species tested, *Ulva* sp., *T. atomaria*, *C. spongiosus*, *Peyssonnelia* sp. and *B. secundiflora* possess the best contents of n-3 PUFA, 1.07, 1.38, 1.19, 1.06 and 1.42 mg/g, severally. Apart from genus *Ulva* sp., during which ALA dominated, the n-3 profile of the remaining strains was basically composed of independent agency. Nevertheless, Peyssonnelia sp. exhibited a relatively high content of DHA, 0.22 mg/g of dry biomass, coupled with an EPA concentration of 0.84 mg/g. A variety of potential applications area unit delineated for independent agency and DHA, which hold significant potential for pharmaceutical purposes, namely cancer treatment, asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, antibiotic, inflammatory bowel disease, depression,

More recently, PUFA verified to own a robust potential in drug delivery; additionally to the delineated toxicity of a number of PUFA, PUFA enable a more efficient penetration of specific molecules through the cell membranes of tumor cells, due to their unique lipophilic characteristics. In fact, several studies show that tumor cells display faster PUFA intake than normal cells, as demonstrated for the conjugated taxoid DHA-paclitaxel. The nutritionary and pharmaceutical edges of PUFA, however, contrast with the increasing difficulty in finding sustainable sources of n-3 VLCPUFA, which traditionally were obtained from fish

Declining fish stocks caused by decades of overfishing makes ever more urgent to find non-traditional alternatives for the western world. As VLCPUFA are usually absent from terrestrial higher plants, traditional crops can also be excluded as viable sources of these FA. Though this deficiency can be overcome by applying genetic engineering, transgenic foods are not always well accepted by the general public. Therefore, n-3 VLCPUFA are typically associated with marine organisms, and algae, as the basis of the marine trophic chain, come out as a very promising source of VLCPUFA. In fact, large scale farming of marine algae has been accomplished successfully for hundreds of years. Approximately, 220 protoctist species area unit presently cultivated and harvested everywhere the globe for various functions. Though principally used as food for human consumption, particularly in Asia, macroalgae are also the primary source of hydrocolloids such as agar, carrageenan and alginate, which have numerous industrial applications, such as gelling, stabilizing or binding agents. The next step may somewhat be the property exploitation of marine macroalgae as different sources of VLCPUFA, not solely in Asia, however conjointly

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