Anticancer Compounds from Marine Algae

Marine algae produce a large number of compounds that include terpenoids (monoterpenes, polyhalogenated, diterpenes, triterpenoids), sterols, and polysaccharides with varying bioactivities. The bioactivities of marine algae have revealed numerous health-promoting effects, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anticancer effects. Identification of cytotoxic compounds led the development of anticancer therapeutics for several decades. In this chapter, we report the cytotoxic anticancer compounds isolated from marine algae. It is revealed that the strongest cytotoxic groups are marine terpenes, sterols, and polysaccharides compounds. In the future, these marine algae cytotoxic anticancer compounds will be used more often in preclinical studies for drug discovery.