HYBRID EVENT: You can participate in person at Rome, Italy or Virtually from your home or work.

8th Edition of International Conference on

Traditional Medicine, Ethnomedicine and Natural Therapies

June 05-07, 2025 | Rome, Italy

Traditional Medicine 2023

Seaweed and the Traditional medicine

Speaker at Traditional Medicine, Ethnomedicine and Natural Therapies 2023 - Leonel Pereira
University of Coimbra, Portugal
Title : Seaweed and the Traditional medicine

Abstract:

Seaweed has traditionally been consumed as food in a variety of ways: raw in salads and as a vegetable, pickle, with allspice sauce, or in vinegar, as a relish or sweetened jellies, and also cooked for vegetable soup. As an herbal medicine, seaweed was generally used for the production of traditional cosmetics, in the preparation of antipyretics, antiseptics, such as vermifuge and for the treatment of cough and for asthma, haemorrhoids, nosebleeds and boils, goitre and scrofula, stomach ailments and urinary. Seaweed has also been used in the traditional medicine of various cultures around the world for many centuries. For example, in traditional Chinese medicine, seaweed is used to treat conditions such as edema, inflammation, constipation and thyroid problems. In traditional Japanese medicine, seaweed is used to treat thyroid disease, as well as increase vitality and improve immunity. In traditional medicine, seaweed is often used to treat thyroid-related conditions such as goitre, a condition characterized by a swelling of the thyroid gland. This is because seaweed contains high levels of iodine, a mineral essential for thyroid function. However, it is important to remember that excess iodine can be harmful to health, so it is recommended that you consume seaweed in moderation. Seaweed is also used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism and joint pain. This is because seaweed contains compounds that can help reduce inflammation in the body. In addition, seaweed is also used as a tonic to increase vitality and improve immunity. Some cultures use seaweed topically, applying it directly to the skin to treat irritation and inflammation. Seaweed is also commonly used in traditional cooking, especially in countries with coastal cultures. Although modern science is still studying the health benefits of seaweed, traditional medicine has used these plants for many years and continues to do so today. However, it is important to remember that traditional medicine is not always based on scientific evidence, and that more research is needed to fully understand the health benefits and risks of using seaweed.

Audience Take Away Notes:

  • Enumerate the different traditional uses of algae in terms of food and traditional medicine.
  • It can enrich the knowledge of seaweed species useful in food and therapeutic uses.
  • All this information will be useful for teaching and disseminating the use of algae in this area of knowledge.

Biography:

Leonel Pereira has a degree in Biology (scientific branch), a PhD in Biology (specialty Cellular Biology) and Habilitation in Biosciences, specialty in Biotechnology, by the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra, where he is currently Associate Professor. In addition to teaching at this university, he is an integrated researcher at MARE (Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences). His interests are mainly focused on the areas of Marine Biodiversity (algae), Marine Biotechnology (bioactive compounds from algae) and Marine Ecology (environmental assessment). Since 2008, he has been the author and editor of the electronic publication MACOI – Portuguese Seaweeds Website (www.uc.pt/seaweeds), since 2018 he has been a member of the editorial board of the scientific journals “Marine Drugs” and Applied Sciences”, he is Vice-editor-in-chief of “Traditional Medicine Research” Journal, author of more than 20 books, author of more than 134 indexed articles, and of more than 66 book chapters. He has delivered more than a hundred lectures and oral communications at various national and international scientific events. He is coordinator of the degree in Biology and of several national and international research projects. In 1998 he received the “Francisco de Holanda” award (Honorable Mention) and, more recently, the “Sea King D. Carlos” award (18th edition), and winner of the CHOICE Award - outstanding academic title award 2016 - Book title: Edible Seaweeds of the World, CRC Press.

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