Abstract:
Marine seaweeds are a promising source of bioactive secondary metabolites that
can be utilized in drug development and nutraceuticals. Diabetes mellitus is a leading non-communicable disease, and it is the third leading cause of death worldwide.
Among the types of diabetes, type 2 became the major health problem as it is associated with severe health complications. Since available oral hypoglycemic drugs
cause several adverse effects, it is worth searching for a natural cure with fewer or
no side effects that may benefit patients with type 2 diabetes. Among the marine
seaweeds, brown and red seaweeds are extensively studied for the anti-diabetic
activity compared to the green seaweeds. Bioactive compounds present in marine
seaweeds possess anti-diabetic potential through diverse mechanisms, mainly by
reducing postprandial hyperglycemia and associated complication. Most of the
studies emphasized that the marine seaweeds control the hyperglycemic condition
by inhibiting carbohydrate hydrolyzing α-amylase,α glucosidase enzymes, and the
inhibitory effect of dipeptide peptidase-4 that are involved in the degradation of
incretins. Similarly, bioactive compounds in marine seaweeds can reduce diabetes
complications by inhibiting angiotensin-converting enzymes, aldose reductase,
protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B enzyme. This chapter focuses on the anti-diabetic
potential of marine brown, green, and red seaweeds through different mechanisms.
