Dozens of clinical research studies have been conducted showing the health benefits of phycocyanin, a brilliant blue antioxidant pigment that is naturally occurring in Spirulina. The following list includes frequently referenced studies on phycocyanin’s ability to help maintain a healthy inflammation response, as well as its anti-aging properties, antioxidant properties and signaling effects.

• Romay C, Armesto J, Remirez D, Gonzalez R, Ledon N, Garcia I (1998) Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties of C-phycocyanin from Blue-green Algae. Inflammation Research, 47: 36-41 Read Abstract
• Gonzalez R, Rodriguez S, Romay C, Ancheta O, Gonzalez A, Armesto J, Remirez D, Merino N (1999) Anti-inflammatory activity of phycocyanin extract in acetic acid-induced colitis in rats. Pharmaccological Research, 39(1):55-9 Read Abstract
• Romay C, Ledon N, Gonzalez R (1998) Further studies on anti-inflammatory activity of phycocyanin in some animal models of inflammation. Inflammation Research, 47(8):334-8 Read Abstract
• Reddy C, Bhat VB Kiranmai G, Reddy M, Reddanna P, Madyastha K (2000) Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 by C-phycocyanin, a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 277(3):599-603 Read Abstract
• Remirez D, Gonzáles A, Merino N, González R, Ancheta O, Romay C, Rodrigues S (1999) Effect of phycocyanin in zymosan-induced arthritis in mice-phycocyanin as an antiarthritic compound. Drug Development Research, 48:70-75 Read Abstract
• Rimbau V, Camins A, Romay C, Gonzáles R, Pallas M (1999) Protective effects of C-phycocyanin against kainic acid-induced neuronal damage in rat hippocampus. Neuroscience Letters, Dec 3: 276:75-78 Read Abstract
• Rimbau V, Camins A, Pubill D, Sureda F, Romay C, González R, Jimenéz A, Escubedo E, Camarasa J, Pallás M (2001) C-Phycocyanin protects cerebellar granule cells from low potassium/serum deprivation-induced apoptosis. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 364:96-104. Read Abstract
• Romay C, Ledón N, González R (2000) Effects of phycocyanin extract on prostaglandin E2 levels in mouse ear inflammation test. Arzneimittel.-Forschung./Drug Research, 50(II), Nr12, 1106-1109 Read Abstract
• Bhat, V, Gaikwad N, Madyastha K (1998) Hepatoprotective effect of C-phycocyanin: protection for carbon tetrachloride and R-(+)-pulegone-mediated hepatotoxicty in rats. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 249(2):428-31 Read Abstract
• Bhat V, Madaystha K (2000) C-Phycocyanin: A potent peroxyl radical scavenger in vivo and in vitro. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 275, 20-25 Read Abstract
• Carter SG, Redman KA, Benson KF, Ehmann A, Guthrie J, Norris L, Turner J, Jensen, GS. Analegisic and anti-inflammatory properties of a novel phycocyanin-rich microalgae extract, CyaninPlusTM. SSW09 poster session. Read Abstract
• Romay C, González R, Ledón N, Remirez D, and Rimbau V (2003) C-Phycocyanin: a biliprotein with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. Current Protein and Peptide Science, 4, 000-000 1 Read Abstract
• Khan M, Vradharaj S, Ganesan L, Shobha J, Naidu M, Parinadi N, Tridandapani S, Kutala V, Kuppusamy P (2006) C-phycocyanin protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury of heart through involvement of p38 MAPK and ERK signaling. American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology, May 290 (5) H2136-45 Read Abstract
• Benedetti S, Benvenuti F, Pagliarani S, Francogli S, Scoglio S, Canestrari F (2004) Antioxidant properties of a novel phycocyanin extract from the blue-green alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. Life Sciences, Sep 24;75(19):2353-62 Read Abstract
• Hsiao G, Chou P, Shen M, Chou D, Lin C, Sheu J (2005) C-phycocyanin, a very potent and novel platelet aggression inhibitor from Spirulina platensis. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemicals, Oct 5;53 (20):7734-40 Read Abstract
• Jensen GS, Attridge VL, Carter SG, Guthrie J, Ehmann A, Benson, KF (2016) Consumption of an aqueous cyanophyta extract derived from Arthrospira platensis is associated with reduction of chronic pain: results from two human clinical pilot studies. Nutrition and Dietary Supplements 2016:8 65–70 Read Abstract