Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Seagrasses are marine angiosperms capable of completing their life cycle in water; they have been used as food source and biomass for producing fertilizer, but their potential nutritional and health-promoting properties have been largely overlooked. Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson (family Cymodoceaceae) is emerging as one of the most interesting seagrass species due to its content in health promoting substances. METHODS: In this review article, a revision of the literature on phytochemical constituents and the main potential therapeutic uses of C. nodosa was carried out. RESULTS: Despite the growing interest in C. nodosa for its key ecological role and for being a potential source of bioactive compounds, comprehensive chemical studies about its composition are still limited. Compounds reported as C. nodosa constituents include fatty acids, phytosterols, polysaccharides, phenolic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids, flavonoid glycosides, terpenoids, and diarylheptanoids. As concerns potential therapeutic uses, C. nodosa extract, both polyphenolic and polysaccharidic, might be useful for the management of metabolic disorders, which is currently the most documented in addition to the antioxidant action. CONCLUSIONS: Cymodocea nodosa emerges as one of the most promising seagrass species as a source of bioactive compounds and for its potential in maintaining health status.