Anticancer Properties of Blue Green Algae Spirulina platensis - A Review

Many public health problems are caused by infectious agents like microbial organisms including virus, bacteria and fungi, life style and environmental factors. The most dreadful diseases like tuberculosis, diabetes, many viral infections, heart diseases and cancer are causing human deaths worldwide. Cancer is a complex, multistep process and multi-factorial in origin. Cancer causing agents called carcinogens transform a normal cell to tumor or cancerous cell. Life style, food habits, job factors, environmental factors and hereditary mutations plays major role in carcinogenesis. Consumption of Tobacco products, chewing of betel nut, Alcohol, high dietary fat, red meat, imbalanced diet, canned and preserved food, deep fried and junk food, Cigar smoking, exposure to smoke contents of cigarette, radiation for a longer period, lack of adequate physical activity, are main causes of tumorigenesis and increase in rate of cancer incidences. Persons working in cement factory, welding works, wood works are more susceptible to transformation and development of tumor. Biological microorganisms such as bacteria and viral infections also contribute nearly 19% of cancers. Chemical drugs used in the treatment or cancer therapy are leading to side effects. Therefore, there is a need to develop safe, effective and novel drugs. Research findings of earlier studies indicate that the Spirulina platensis exhibits clinical significance especially anticancer activity.