Microalgae‐based Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals: An Emerging Field with Immense Market Potential

TLDR

Microalgae are renewable sources of pharmaceutical compounds and biofuels, and the sector is expanding rapidly due to substrate scarcity, higher yields, and the GRAS status that benefits both pharmaceutical and food industries. This review examines how microalgae can advantage the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry by discussing large‑scale process aspects and obstacles. It covers culture production methods—photoautotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic—and recent metabolic strategy advances that upgrade microalgal technology for these compounds. The review highlights the prospects and advantages of microalgae for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, emphasizing the role of advanced culture methods and metabolic strategies.

Abstract

Abstract Microalgae are one of the renewable sources for pharmaceutical compounds as well as biofuels. The microalgae sector is growing rapidly due to the scarcity of substrate sources, more yields, and the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status of compounds associated with microalgae. Due to this GRAS status, the algal products are beneficial not only for the pharmaceutical but also for the food industry. In this review, insights into the different process aspects and obstacles of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds derived from microalgae on large‐scale are discussed. Various culture production methods like photoautotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic processes have been included and recent advances in metabolic strategies for upgrading the microalgal technology for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds are highlighted as well as the prospects in the field presented. Overall, this review discusses the question, how microalgae can be a great advantage for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industry.