23 Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Applications …
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antimicrobial resistance action plans and put more financial support into research
and development of new antibiotics and antibiotic alternatives. Fourth, researchers,
pharmacists, and engineers, among others are urged to research and develop new
antibiotics with the ability to treat the new infections (Sprenger 2017).
The WHO suggests that a new and more global approach is needed. Therefore,
a global collaboration among various organizations and institutions (including the
WHO, pharmaceutical industry, universities, and governments, among others) is
also needed for the creation of a global antibiotic research and development facility
(Sprenger 2017). It is in the same line that; this chapter highlights that algal-derived
resources can contribute in several ways at once to the reduction of antibiotic use.
The first way algal-derived resources can contribute to the reduction of antibiotic
resistance is through the production of algal-derived functional food and nutraceuticals. Safe and nutrient-rich food can boost body self-healing and auto-protection (i.e.,
immunity). If the nutrient-rich food helps to prevent and control various diseases,
it will contribute to the reduction of illness cases (i.e., the implication of reduction
of antibiotic prescription and usage), hence leading to the reduction of antibiotic
resistance. The second way algal-derived resources can contribute to the reduction
of antibiotic resistance is the removal of antibiotics from the environment through
wastes and wastewater treatment (Abdel-Raouf et al. 2012). Gentili and Fick (2017)
investigated whether pharmaceutical pollutants in urban wastewater can be reduced
during algal cultivation; the results show that algal cultivation can remove partially
or entirely pharmaceutical pollutants including antibiotic Clarithromycin. Yu et al.
(2017) also investigated the algal removal of antibiotic ceftazidime and its basic
parent structure 7-aminocephalosporanic acid, and the results showed that 92.7%
and 96.07% of both compounds were removed after algal treatment, respectively.
The third way algal-derived resources can contribute to the reduction of antibiotic
resistance is through the development and production of new antibiotics and/or new
potent antimicrobial agents as accessories to antibiotic therapy (Daglia 2012), with
the ability to fight new infections, due to their bioactive compounds with various
pharmacological activities (Borowitzka 1995; Mimouni et al. 2012; Thomas and
Kim 2011) including antimicrobial effect (Eom et al. 2012; Thomas and Kim 2011);
and physiological activities (Manirafasha et al. 2016). The fourth way algal-derived
resources can be used is to feed fish and animal as prebiotic feeds; in that case,
they will contribute to the reduction of using antibiotics in livestock. Algal-derived
products used as animal and fish feed in agriculture and aquaculture, respectively,
will promote the animals’ self-healing and protection against various infections, and
speed up animal growth as growth agents, thereby leading to the elimination of the
overuse of antibiotic in livestock.
Governments’ intervention and investment in wastes and wastewater treatment as
an efficient way to reduce pharmaceutical pollutants in the environment, especially
water bodies, will contribute to the reduction/eradication of antibiotic resistance.
Besides human health benefits, algal resources play a role in animal and fish feeds,
as well as environmental bioremediation. Unfortunately, still, there is a big gap
between research findings and algal resource applicability to solving pressing realworld challenges due to some challenges.
579
antimicrobial resistance action plans and put more financial support into research
and development of new antibiotics and antibiotic alternatives. Fourth, researchers,
pharmacists, and engineers, among others are urged to research and develop new
antibiotics with the ability to treat the new infections (Sprenger 2017).
The WHO suggests that a new and more global approach is needed. Therefore,
a global collaboration among various organizations and institutions (including the
WHO, pharmaceutical industry, universities, and governments, among others) is
also needed for the creation of a global antibiotic research and development facility
(Sprenger 2017). It is in the same line that; this chapter highlights that algal-derived
resources can contribute in several ways at once to the reduction of antibiotic use.
The first way algal-derived resources can contribute to the reduction of antibiotic
resistance is through the production of algal-derived functional food and nutraceuticals. Safe and nutrient-rich food can boost body self-healing and auto-protection (i.e.,
immunity). If the nutrient-rich food helps to prevent and control various diseases,
it will contribute to the reduction of illness cases (i.e., the implication of reduction
of antibiotic prescription and usage), hence leading to the reduction of antibiotic
resistance. The second way algal-derived resources can contribute to the reduction
of antibiotic resistance is the removal of antibiotics from the environment through
wastes and wastewater treatment (Abdel-Raouf et al. 2012). Gentili and Fick (2017)
investigated whether pharmaceutical pollutants in urban wastewater can be reduced
during algal cultivation; the results show that algal cultivation can remove partially
or entirely pharmaceutical pollutants including antibiotic Clarithromycin. Yu et al.
(2017) also investigated the algal removal of antibiotic ceftazidime and its basic
parent structure 7-aminocephalosporanic acid, and the results showed that 92.7%
and 96.07% of both compounds were removed after algal treatment, respectively.
The third way algal-derived resources can contribute to the reduction of antibiotic
resistance is through the development and production of new antibiotics and/or new
potent antimicrobial agents as accessories to antibiotic therapy (Daglia 2012), with
the ability to fight new infections, due to their bioactive compounds with various
pharmacological activities (Borowitzka 1995; Mimouni et al. 2012; Thomas and
Kim 2011) including antimicrobial effect (Eom et al. 2012; Thomas and Kim 2011);
and physiological activities (Manirafasha et al. 2016). The fourth way algal-derived
resources can be used is to feed fish and animal as prebiotic feeds; in that case,
they will contribute to the reduction of using antibiotics in livestock. Algal-derived
products used as animal and fish feed in agriculture and aquaculture, respectively,
will promote the animals’ self-healing and protection against various infections, and
speed up animal growth as growth agents, thereby leading to the elimination of the
overuse of antibiotic in livestock.
Governments’ intervention and investment in wastes and wastewater treatment as
an efficient way to reduce pharmaceutical pollutants in the environment, especially
water bodies, will contribute to the reduction/eradication of antibiotic resistance.
Besides human health benefits, algal resources play a role in animal and fish feeds,
as well as environmental bioremediation. Unfortunately, still, there is a big gap
between research findings and algal resource applicability to solving pressing realworld challenges due to some challenges.