The Detoxifying Effects of Spirulina in Promoting Liver... : Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences (2025)

INTRODUCTION

Microalga spirulina received worldwide popularity because it provides numerous nutritional benefits that include high protein content [Figure 1] along with essential vitamins and minerals and fatty acids.^[1] Spirulina is Blue green algae with spiral filament as shown in figure 2. Recent studies examine how spirulina reduces heavy metals from the body and supports the entire liver system. Human health faces hazards from substantial environmental pollutants made of lead, mercury, arsenic, and cadmium which can result in liver damage and nerve damage together with kidney diseases.^[2] All toxic elements need removal from the body because the liver serves as the body’s primary detoxification organ. Spirulina serves as an effective natural supplement for detoxifying heavy metals according to recent research because it supports both liver performance enhancement and destructive molecule elimination from the human body.

SPIRULINA AND HEAVY METAL DETOXIFICATION

Heavy metal poisoning stands as a crucial health problem which results in body conditions that include cancer together with organ breakdown and neurodegenerative diseases.^[3] Pharmaceutical drugs alongside chelation therapy remove high metal concentrations in the body although they produce a wide range of detrimental effects. Spirulina stands out for its special capability to bind heavy metals in bodies, thus providing an effective natural healing solution. Heavy metal adsorption represents the main detoxifying action mechanism through which spirulina eliminates toxic materials from the body. The toxic metals in spirulina are rendered inactive for biological tissues through the binding action of phycocyanin extracts and certain peptides and polysaccharides that exist in this microalgae.^[4] Scientific research demonstrates spirulina can trap mercury and lead into its body which leads to substantial prevention of kidney and liver damage from these toxic metals.^[5] Protein counts are high in spirulina because amino acids glutamate and cysteine present in these proteins assist the body in toxin elimination.^[6] Analyses demonstrate that spirulina reduces heavy metals within bloodstream tissue at levels which demonstrate its capability as a detox agent. A rat study conducted by Gholamian et al. demonstrated spirulina supplementation led to considerable reductions of cadmium buildup in liver and kidney tissues, thus proving spirulina can safeguard against toxic metal damage.^[7]

SPIRULINA AND LIVER HEALTH

The metabolism and detoxification processes of toxins together with waste elimination remain primarily under the control of the liver. The human liver must deal with toxic exposure through heavy metals that lead to fatty liver disease along with cirrhosis and potential liver cancer development.^[8] Recent research demonstrates the liver protection capabilities of spirulina because it reduces both liver inflammation and oxidative stress along with detoxifying toxins. Spirulina contains several potent elements with phycocyanin emerging as its standout ingredient because this covalently bound pigment-protein complex shows excellent anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.^[9] Phycocyanin acts as a free radical capture agent which helps reduce oxidative stress that causes worsened liver injuries and severe liver diseases.^[10] The Behfar et al.’s clinical trial established spirulina supplements as a treatment method that enhances liver enzyme measurement results as well as reducing hepatic lipid peroxidation amounts and boosting the antioxidant enzyme activity in mice affected by liver damage.^[11]Spirulina produces helpful effects on liver function among people who have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). People who consumed spirulina supplements as part of Choi et al.’s clinical trial experienced noteworthy decreases in AST and ALT liver enzyme levels and better liver performance according to test results.^[12]

MECHANISMS OF ACTION IN DETOXIFICATION AND LIVER HEALTH

The detoxification and liver protective qualities of spirulina are derived from its ostensive nutrition together with bioactive compounds. The pigment phycocyanin demonstrates outstanding antioxidant properties for managing free radicals and eliminating oxidative pressures that fatally damage liver tissue and heavy metal toxicity.^[9] The molecule polysaccharides maintain the ability to extract heavy metals from bloodstreams and tissues.^[4] The immune response and inflammation develop better controls through polysaccharides which leads to enhanced liver health. The amino acid content of spirulina includes cysteine which helps produce glutathione but the body’s primary antioxidant. As highlighted by Rosenfeld et al., liver detoxification processes are single-handedly reliant on glutathione for the removal of free radicals.^[6]Spirulina contains B-complex vitamins as well as vitamins C and E and A plus minerals like iron, magnesium, and calcium. These three advantages lead to enhanced liver health through enhanced enzyme function, reduced inflammatory response, and improved detoxifying prowess.^[1]

CLINICAL EVIDENCE AND STUDIES

Spirulina is known to assist with heavy metal detoxification, and a newer study showcased the use of spirulina in humans and animals, capturing excellent spirulina’s working mechanisms clinically. Saying that research has also been carried out to confirm that it assists in the repair of the liver and degenerative liver enzyme activities of the animal’s liver.^[5,7]

As discussed by Ahn and Park, metabolic syndrome is an indicator of oxidative stress; however, its association with liver restriction in ultrasound still needs to be explored. This revaluation reveals interesting patterns, and plausibly spirulina has alleviated oxidative damage associated with metabolic disorder in its preclinical stage. Despite the discrepancies between the studies, it seems that patients suffering from liver-breaking conditions are left with the same results, with no livered boosted enzyme activity.

CONCLUSION

Spirulina, a blue-green algae, has the ability to detoxify and provides crucial nutrients that help in tackling heavy metals and protecting the liver. Spirulina binds with heavy metals like mercury, lead, and cadmium due to its antioxidant content, which comprises, phycocyanin, amino acids, and polysaccharides that help extract heavy metals from the human body. As Gholamian et al. and Yoon et al. mention, the biochemical mechanisms of spirulina make it significantly more effective than standard detoxification procedures, which are known to result in many unfavorable side effects. Spirulina offers benefits to the liver by decreasing oxidative stress and reducing inflammatory reactions, which help in protecting liver cells from harmful substances.^[5,7,10,11] Research conducted by forensic scientists examined spirulina by conducting multiple trials involving humans and animals as well as laboratory-based research that showed its two key effects of tissue-heavy metal reduction alongside liver health improvement and detoxification enhancement. Clinical investigations demonstrate that spirulina supplements serve as supplementary therapeutic approaches against NAFLD and environmentally polluted liver injuries because these supplements lower liver enzyme levels and improve antioxidant activity and defend against oxidative stress.^[11,12] Research shows that spirulina performs as an environmental stress detoxifier because it reduces heavy metal toxicity such as cadmium as per Chen et al.^[3] Scientists need to research optimal doses and long-term effects of spirulina followed by studies on its body purification methods. Scientific investigations need to conduct extensive human trial studies on spirulina’s medical properties that eliminate heavy metals from human subjects who suffer from heavy metal exposure. Research must study spirulina safety as a long-term treatment and its interactions with pharmaceutical medicines before it can be adopted as a safe detoxification solution.^[2]Spirulina demonstrates the best security-based features for toxic substance clearance enabling the support of liver health. The detoxifying capabilities of spirulina as a primary detoxifying agent are supported by its antioxidant properties which work alongside heavy metal chelation and anti-inflammatory benefits in this time of environmental pollution. The beneficial medicinal properties of spirulina create the potential to develop environmentally friendly support methods for liver function which decrease heavy metal toxicities according to Gao et al. and Chou et al.^[4,9]

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Conflicts of interest

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REFERENCES