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E. Manirafasha et al.
23.1 Introduction
Nutraceutical also referred to as functional food, is nutrient/food that has properties of health-promoting or disease-preventing including chronic diseases. The word
“nutraceutical” is derived from nutrition and pharmaceutical words (Nasri et al.
2014; Pandey et al. 2013). The microalgal technology is a promising and sustainable source of wide broad bioactive compounds with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. Phycobiliproteins (PBPs) are one of those functional ingredients produced by microalgae resources and applied in different industrial fields
including food (for example, they are applied as food colorants), nutraceutical (for
example, they are applied as free-radical scavengers, antioxidants), therapeutic (for
example, they are applied as anti-aging, anti-Alzheimeric, anti-cancer), cosmetic
(for example, they are applied as lipstick, sun protecting cream, eyeshadow pallets),
pharmaceutical (for example, they are applied as anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective), and biotechnology (for example, they are applied as protein
markers for gel electrophoretic, PBPs derived conjugates) (Sonani et al. 2016) due
to their potent biological and pharmaceutical properties (Manirafasha et al. 2016). In
other words, the nutraceutical products are the substance with physiological health
benefits that may generally improve health through body growth and health maintenance by delaying the aging process and preventing, controlling, and treating various
illnesses (Nasri et al. 2014). This chapter focuses on nutraceutical and pharmaceutical
applications of (PBPs) where it highlights and describes the potentials of (PBPs).
23.2 Why There Is an Urgent Need of Developing
the Potent Nutraceutical and Natural Pharmaceutical
Compounds
The world is pressed by chronic diseases that are increasing worldwide, especially in
lower and middle-income countries (Wilcox 2004, Landrigan et al. 2016). Chronic
diseases also referred to as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), are the leading
global cause of morbidity, disability, and account for 70% of deaths worldwide
(WHO 2014, 2017). Chronic diseases are mainly caused by unhealthy food (i.e.,
poor nutrition), lack of physical activity, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and environmental pollution (WHO 2017; Bezner 2015; Landrigan et al. 2016).
Diet-induced diseases count for the largest chronic disease epidemic in the human
population (Anthony 2009). The chronic conditions are not just affecting people with
chronic diseases; they are also affecting the world economy and sustainable development; the burden of family, which has to take good care of the sick person, to the
community, to the country, and finally worldwide (Chaparro-Díaz 2016; Schirnding
and Yach 2002).
The WHO developed a global action plan for prevention and control of NCD and
the WHO in collaboration with its member states established a time-bound set of nine
E. Manirafasha et al.
23.1 Introduction
Nutraceutical also referred to as functional food, is nutrient/food that has properties of health-promoting or disease-preventing including chronic diseases. The word
“nutraceutical” is derived from nutrition and pharmaceutical words (Nasri et al.
2014; Pandey et al. 2013). The microalgal technology is a promising and sustainable source of wide broad bioactive compounds with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications. Phycobiliproteins (PBPs) are one of those functional ingredients produced by microalgae resources and applied in different industrial fields
including food (for example, they are applied as food colorants), nutraceutical (for
example, they are applied as free-radical scavengers, antioxidants), therapeutic (for
example, they are applied as anti-aging, anti-Alzheimeric, anti-cancer), cosmetic
(for example, they are applied as lipstick, sun protecting cream, eyeshadow pallets),
pharmaceutical (for example, they are applied as anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective), and biotechnology (for example, they are applied as protein
markers for gel electrophoretic, PBPs derived conjugates) (Sonani et al. 2016) due
to their potent biological and pharmaceutical properties (Manirafasha et al. 2016). In
other words, the nutraceutical products are the substance with physiological health
benefits that may generally improve health through body growth and health maintenance by delaying the aging process and preventing, controlling, and treating various
illnesses (Nasri et al. 2014). This chapter focuses on nutraceutical and pharmaceutical
applications of (PBPs) where it highlights and describes the potentials of (PBPs).
23.2 Why There Is an Urgent Need of Developing
the Potent Nutraceutical and Natural Pharmaceutical
Compounds
The world is pressed by chronic diseases that are increasing worldwide, especially in
lower and middle-income countries (Wilcox 2004, Landrigan et al. 2016). Chronic
diseases also referred to as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), are the leading
global cause of morbidity, disability, and account for 70% of deaths worldwide
(WHO 2014, 2017). Chronic diseases are mainly caused by unhealthy food (i.e.,
poor nutrition), lack of physical activity, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption, and environmental pollution (WHO 2017; Bezner 2015; Landrigan et al. 2016).
Diet-induced diseases count for the largest chronic disease epidemic in the human
population (Anthony 2009). The chronic conditions are not just affecting people with
chronic diseases; they are also affecting the world economy and sustainable development; the burden of family, which has to take good care of the sick person, to the
community, to the country, and finally worldwide (Chaparro-Díaz 2016; Schirnding
and Yach 2002).
The WHO developed a global action plan for prevention and control of NCD and
the WHO in collaboration with its member states established a time-bound set of nine