Abstract
Inflammation is a complex adaptive response to harmful circumstances such
as infection and tissue damage. While inflammation is curable in the acute stage,
continuous inflammation can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, arthritis,
neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, and
metabolic diseases. The inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration and excessive
cytokine production is beneficial to reduce chronic inflammation. Seaweeds have
significant medicinal value due to their bioactive compounds, including seaweed
metabolites with anti-inflammatory properties such as sulfated polysaccharides,
polyphenols, terpenes, and fatty acids. Marine algal compounds with anti-inflammatory
characteristics have recently gained attention in medical research as natural
therapeutics that provide a significant protective effect over synthetic drugs. Therefore,
this review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the anti-inflammatory activity
of seaweed metabolites, including their underlying mechanisms and impact on several
chronic inflammatory diseases.