Antioxidant capacity and mechanism of action of pigments in marine organisms

Marine organisms have wonderful colors that make them very attractive. The unique characteristics of the compounds synthesized by species of marine origin go beyond their appearance. The pigments responsible for these colors are also capable of exerting biological activities, including the antioxidant capacity, which can be performed by different mechanisms. This has led to an increase in research attention due to their potential application in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries, and has expanded from in vitro studies to in vivo tests. The objective of this review is to compile and describe the studies aimed at establishing and elucidating the mechanisms of action of different biochemical compounds with antioxidant activities from marine species. In order to achieve that objective, the Scopus (R), Web of Science (TM) and Microsoft Academic databases were used. Marine pigments represent a promising alternative to the antioxidants and synthetic additives used today. By establishing and understanding the mechanisms of action of the bioactive pigmented compounds isolated from marine organisms, it is possible to determine with greater precision their possible application in the industry.