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PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF SPIRULINA SPECIES: HEPATOPROTECTIVE, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTICANCER EFFECTS

HANY A. AL-HUSSANIY 1,2*, ZAHRAA SALAM AL-TAMEEMI 1,2, BASSAM A. AL-ZUBAIDI 1, AMJAD I. ORAIBI 3,4, FATIMA AKEEL NAJI 2,5, SOUMAYA KILANI 3,4

1Department of Pharmacy, Bilad Alrafidain University College, Diyala Junction, Baqubah, Diyala, Iraq
2Dr. Hany Akeel Institute Iraqi Medical Research Centre, Baghdad, Iraq
3Al-Manara College for Medical Sciences, department of pharmacy
4Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences A, Faculty of Pharmacy of Monastir, University of Monastir, Avicenne Street, Monastir 5019, Tunisia
5College of Pharmacy, Al-Bayan University, Baghdad, Iraq

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Since the older days, spirulina has been consumed as a vital food supplement derived from algae. The properties of this alga, such as anticancer, antioxidant and hepatoprotective, have great significance in enhancing the quality of life and contributing to better health. The affliction of liver diseases and cancer is widespread among humanity, causing significant health issues. Thus, the importance of the current work is evident. The purpose was to assess the pharmacological properties of spirulina species concerning their capacity to guard the liver, counteract oxidation and combat cancer. In order to find the most comprehensive information, an intensive hunt was launched on various online databases such as Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed and Medline. The focus was only on complete experimental and clinical works that surfaced between 2000 and 2019. 2064 related articles were found, of which 58 met the requirements of the present work; they were analysed by documentary analysis and grouped into clusters according to their pharmacognosy properties. According to the articles reviewed, spirulina possesses abundant nutraceutical components and holds promise as an anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antimutagenic, cytotoxic, anticancer and apoptotic agent.