Ulvan from green macroalgae: Bioactive properties advancing tissue engineering, drug delivery systems, food industry, agriculture and water treatment

The past decades have witnessed an increased interest in the valorisation of marine biomass for the development of valuable biomaterials. Marine macroalgae have been recognized for their nutritional and health benefits since they produce a myriad of bioactive compounds. Ulvan from green macroalgae demonstrates versatile biological actions that are beneficial for developing biomaterials for tissue engineering, wound dressing and drug delivery applications. The key advantageous features of ulvan in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, hepatic and renal diseases and cancer are its antioxidant and immunomodulatory actions. The antiviral and antibacterial action of ulvan is of paramount importance in the scenario of emerging viral and bacterial diseases. The bioactive potentials of ulvan can also be harnessed in aquaculture, agriculture and water treatment systems. In view of the bioactive properties and applications of ulvan, innovative research is still warranted to utilize its potentials to the maximum for the benefit of mankind.