Therapeutic potential of lipids of Irish marine cyanobacteria Chlorogloea microcystoides SABC 022904 and Phormidium africanum SABC 022001

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder linked to dopaminergic neuron loss and chronic neuroinflammation. This study investigated the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of lipids from Irish marine cyanobacteria, Chlorogloea microcystoides and Phormidium africanum. These lipids contain fatty acids including oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. Under PD-mimicking conditions (induced by oxidative stress in neuroblastoma cells), lipids from C. microcystoides significantly reduced cell death and oxidative damage at 10–30 μg/mL. Anti-inflammatory activities were assessed using RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, showing that both cyanobacterial lipids reduced nitric oxide production and altered cytokine levels. Importantly, C. microcystoides lipids decreased IL-6 and increased anti-inflammatory IL-10. These results suggest particularly that the lipids of C. microcystoides hold promise as a therapeutic additive in foods to mitigate oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in PD due to their neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties.