海马的功用机理及开发应用研究进展

Research on applications of Hippocampus: Progress and prospect

海马(Hippocampus)是隶属于海龙目海龙科的小型海洋硬骨鱼类,广泛分布于热带、亚热带浅水海域,具有较高药用和食疗保健价值。分别从海马的药用机理、医药及保健食品开发、食疗应用以及作为旗舰物种和指示生物的海洋保护作用等方面综述了海马的功用机理及开发应用研究进展,并对其开发前景进行了展望,以期为海马的基础及应用研究提供参考。

Seahorses(Hippocampus spp.),a group of small marine teleost fishes belonging to Syngnathidae family,are widely distributed in shallow waters of tropical,subtropical and warm temperate regions.Seahorses have been largely concerned by researchers because of their special biological characteristics,such as horse like body shape,male pregnancy and strict monogamy.Meanwhile,seahorses are very important economic marine fishes with high medicinal and ornamental value.Seahorses,known as“southern ginseng”in China,have been used for the traditional Chinese medicine(TMC)for more than one thousand and five hundred years due to high traditional medicine value.Modern pharmacological studies have showed that Hippocampus has the effects of anti-fatigue,anti-aging and erectile dysfunction and so on,and early researchers have reviewed that.They are also very popular in ornamental and aquarium market with their peculiar features.With the continuous improvement of people’s living standards,more and more attentions are paid to the seahorses.With the in-depth study of hippocampal application,the understanding of its value and applications has been gradually deepened,not just in terms of medicinal and ornamental value,but also in terms of oceanic ecology protection and environmental pollution assessment.In order to better understand and utilize the species,the applications of seahorses on the TMC,health food and diet were demonstrated on the basis of recent researches in this work.In addition,the application as a flagship species and biomarker in marine conservation was also described.The results show that Hippocampus had many medicinal effects and a series of seahorse medicines and health-care products have already been popular in the market.It has also been found that the specific functional components of seahorses and the mechanism of action need to be further clarified.In addition,the roles of seahorses in marine ecology and environmental protection such as flagship species and biomarkers were gradually recognized.Through the comprehensive review and analysis of the values of various functions and the research progress of Hippocampus in this paper,it could provide powerful reference for the further development and utilization of the Hippocampus.