A Review of Medical Applications of Cyanobacteria

Secondary metabolites derived from cyanobacteria exhibit diverse applications in biotechnology, particularly in the field of medicine. Throughout history, cyanobacteria have received less attention compared to other microbial sources of natural products despite their potential. Therefore, this review aims to explore the recent advancements in the medical and therapeutic applications of cyanobacteria, aiming to further understand the valuable medicinal potential of these organisms.

In this paper, relevant articles published between 2020 and 2023 were scrutinized in databases such as Springer, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and John Wiley to obtain the latest findings regarding the medical applications of cyanobacteria. Utilizing the MeSH database, appropriate keywords were identified, leading to the selection of 66 recent reviews and research articles for comprehensive analysis.

Biologically active molecules derived from cyanobacteria have a wide range of activities, including antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimalarial, immunosuppressive, anti-HIV, and protease inhibitory activities. Indeed, cyanobacteria serve as a valuable microbial source for the production of novel drugs, requiring only basic minerals for growth.

Modern techniques and microwave-assisted extraction methods enable the rapid isolation of bioactive compounds from cyanobacteria. These approaches play a pivotal role in in developing new therapies and further utilization of cyanobacteria in advancing green technologies in the future.