Application of Algae in Wound Healing

Abstract

Wounds in living tissues, such as pressure ulcers or chronic skin wounds, pose a major threat to the healthcare system, especially in the treatment or management of some pathological conditions, including spinal cord injury, diabetes, etc. Such wounds have a significant recurrence rate and are only partly successfully treated with the present medical approaches and technologies. Invasive wound infections pose a more serious threat to open wounds and can result in amputation and additional impairment. It takes a multidisciplinary approach to create novel, nontoxic, noninvasive, and more potent treatments. Thus, there is a growing global interest in finding natural products that promote skin regeneration. A natural source of intriguing bioactive chemicals with potential for use in applications for wound healing is algae. Due to their many biological activities, such as the ability to inhibit secretion of inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant properties, and antimicrobial activities which are vital in the wound healing process, algae and other products, including polysaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and microalgal carotenoids, may be beneficial in wound management and healing applications. This chapter presents comprehensive information on wound healing processes, possible beneficial effects of algae as wound-healing agents, and mechanisms underpinning the therapeutic wound-healing effects of algae.