Algal Alginate in Biotechnology: Biosynthesis and Applications

Algae are recognized as the main producer of commercial alginate. Alginate produced using algae is located in the walls and intracellular regions of their cells. Its properties vary depending on the species, growing and harvesting seasons, and extraction methods. Alginate has attracted the attention of several industries, thanks to its unique properties such as its biodegradability, biocompatibility, renewability and lack of toxicity features. For example, it is considered a good encapsulation agent due to the transparent nature of the alginate matrices. Also, this biopolymer is recognized as a functional food in the food industry. It can be tolerated easily in human body and has the ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Besides, it is used as an abrasive agent, antioxidant, and thickening and stabilizing agents in cosmetic and pharmaceutic industries. Generally, it is used in emulsion systems and wound dressing patches. Furthermore, this polysaccharide has the potential to be used in green nanotechnologies as a drug delivery vehicle via cell microencapsulation. Moreover, it is suitable to adopt as a coagulant due to its wide range of flocculation dose and high shear stability. In this chapter, the mentioned usage areas of algal alginate are explained in more detail

Plaque Accumulation and Inflammation Adjacent to Restorations of Amorphous Calcium Phosphate-containin Composite in Early Childhood Caries

WOS: 000453409100010PubMed ID: 30460359Purpose: To evaluate the clinical, biochemical, and microbiological reactions to nanocomposite containing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) in comparison to a traditional composite restorative material in early childhood caries. Materials and Methods: Eighteen teeth were restored with the test material (ACP-containing resin) and 18 teeth were restored with the control material (traditional composite, TC) in fourteen paediatric patients using a splitmouth design. One caries- and restoration-free intact tooth in each patient was selected as the healthy control. Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and supragingival plaque samples were collected at baseline before the treatment and also on days 1, 7, 14 and 30 after treatment. Unstimulated whole saliva samples were obtained from each patient at baseline, and 1 and 6 months after restoration. GCF and saliva samples were assayed for IL-17A, IL-17F IL-17A/F, IL-17E, OPG and RANKL levels by ELISA, and plaque composition was assessed using RT-PCR. Results: Clinical evaluation indicated no statistically significant differences between the two restorative materials according to the FDI criteria surface lustre, material retention and marginal adaptation properties. Pro-inflammatory IL-17 levels decreased statistically significantly at 6 months compared to baseline and 1-month values (p < 0.05). The baseline pro-inflammatory IL-17 cytokine levels in GCF samples around the carious teeth were higher than those obtained around the healthy teeth (p < 0.05), but similar in GCF from the ACP-test and TC teeth. Microbiological findings were similar in the ACP and T groups. Conclusion: It may be suggested that both ACP-containing and traditional resin composites show similar antimicrobial and biochemical effects in early childhood caries.Ege University Research FoundationEge University [2013 DIS 033]; University of Glasgow [SC004401]This study was funded by a grant from the Ege University Research Foundation (Project No: 2013 DIS 033) and by funding from The University of Glasgow (Registered charity number SC004401)

Caries-Preventive Effect and Retention of Glass-Ionomer and Resin-Based Sealants: A Randomized Clinical Comparative Evaluation

Background. Deep fissures are highly unprotected from the development of caries. Resin-based materials and glass-ionomer cements for sealing fissures are useful in caries control through physical barrier formation, which prohibits metabolic exchange between fissure microorganisms. Retention is one of the most critical properties of fissure sealants. This in vivo study is aimed at comparing and evaluating the clinical efficacy of resin and glass ionomer-based fissure sealants on first permanent molars with follow-ups at 6-, 12-, and 18-month intervals. Methods. A randomized split-mouth design clinical study was conducted after obtaining the ethical committee approval. A total of 50 patients, aged between 7 and 12 years, were randomized and enrolled in the study to perform a total of 200 sealant placements on all four caries-free and hypoplasia-free first permanent molars having deep fissures, which are susceptible to caries, were included in this study. The four permanent molars were divided into the following four groups: group A (control), B (Grandioseal, Voco, Germany), C (Smartseal ; Loc, Detax Gmbh ; Co, Germany), and D (Fuji triage capsule, GC, Belgium). The sealed molars were clinically evaluated at intervals of 6, 12, and 18 months to assess sealant retention, surface roughness, marginal coloration, and caries status through visual evaluation of the sealant by two evaluators. Results. Concerning retention, there were statistically significant differences between the sealants in terms of the survival of partial and fully retained sealants as well as in the survival of caries-free teeth. Two resin-based (Smartseal ; Loc) and glass-ionomer cement (Fuji triage) sealants showed significantly similar performances in permanent molars for up to 18 months. In terms of retention, one of the resin-based (Grandioseal) sealants performed better as compared to the others and showed better caries prevention in deep fissures. Conclusion. It is concluded that both the sealants had comparable retention and caries-preventive effects in 7 to 12-year-old children and can be considered as suitable sealants for a period of at least 18 months in moderate caries risk patients

Screening of antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of several microalgal extracts with pharmaceutical potential

WOS: 000519938500011The bioactive molecules from microalgae have important properties such as antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, antihypertensive, skin regenerative, neuroprotective, sunscreen, and, immunostimulatory effects. Bioactive molecules derived from microalgae is getting intense attention from pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and nutraceuticals industries because of these properties and numerous researches have been done to investigate the role of these bioactive molecules that can enlighten microalgal biotechnology to result in new nature derived pharmaceutical formulations. in this study we investigate antioxidant activities of crude extracts of G. Galdieria sulphuraria, Ettlia carotinosa, Neochloris texensis, Chlorella minutissima, Stichococcus bacillaris, Schizochytrium limacinum, Crypthecodinium cohnii, and Chlorella vulgaris with determining radical scavenging activity (RSA) by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate radical) method and total phenolic content by Folin-Ciocalteu method. Selected extracts according to their antioxidant activities cytotoxicity was evaluated after exposure to human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cells (HepG2) for 48 h. Antioxidant activities of these species ranged from 89 to 95% RSA (radical scavenging activity) while their phenolic contents were also very high, varied from 41 to 312 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalents)/mg extract. MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay also showed microalgae has a potential to be used as a novel therapeutic compound