SWMD.CO.IN

Natural products are both a fundamental source of new chemical diversity and an integral component of today's pharmaceutical compendium. The ocean environment is massively complex, consisting of extreme variations in pressure, salinity, temperature, and biological habitats. The biota of marine algae has developed unique metabolic and physiological functions that not only ensure survival in extreme habitats but also offer a potential for the production of novel enzymes and bioactive metabolites for potential exploitation. The natural concentrations of many pharmacologically active compounds from seaweeds are often minute and sometimes account for less than 10-6 % of the respective wet weight.