The marine origin polysaccharide fucoidan combines multiple biological activities. As demonstrated by various studies in vitro and in vivo, fucoidans show anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant properties, although the detailed molecular action remains to be eluci …

In this study, fucoidans with different molecular weight that were isolated from the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida (Phaeophyceae, Laminariales) were investigated for their ability to inhibit melanogenesis and scavenge superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. Fucoidan samples with low molecular weights of 89, 35, 17, and 6 kDa were prepared by radiation-degradation of a 378 kDa fucoidan isolated from U. pinnatifida. The inhibitory activity of fucoidan against melanin biosynthesis in B16BL6 melanoma cells was enhanced for low molecular weight samples. To investigate the increase in melanogenesis inhibition exhibited by the low molecular weight fucoidan, tyrosinase inhibition activity and radical scavenging activities were measured. There was an increase in the tyrosinase inhibition activity for low molecular weight samples. Additionally, the radical scavenging activity was increased for lower molecular weight fucoidans. These results suggest that low molecular weight fucoidans from seaweeds may have beneficial biological properties.

The intestinal microecology is an extremely complex ecosystem consisting of gut microbiota, intestinal mucosa and the intestinal immune system. The intestinal microecology performs several important ...

Emerging evidence shows that dietary fucoidan contribute to the prevention and treatment of diverse diseases. Here, using a mouse model, we first demo…

Lymphangiogenesis is one of the promoters of tumor lymphatic metastasis. Fucoidan which is a fucose-enriched sulfated polysaccharide has effect on various pharmacological activities including anti-metastasis activity. However, the inhibitory effect of fucoidan on lymphangiogenesis remains unclear. H …

Fucoidan is one of the dominant sulfated polysaccharide which was extracted from the brown seaweed Turbinaria decurrens. In the behavioral study mice …

Cyclophosphamide (cy) is a widely used cancer drug. Many researchers have focused on the prevention and alleviation of its side effects, particularly damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier. In this study, we examined the effects of fucoidan, isolated from Acaudina molpadioides, on mice with intestinal muco

Laminaria japonica (LJ) and Hizikia fusiforme (HF) are brown seaweeds known to have various health-promoting effects. In this study, we investigated the anti-diabetic effects and possible mechanism(s) of LJ and HF by using both in vitro and in vivo models. C2C12 myotubes, mouse-derived skeletal muscle cells, treated with LF or HF extracts were used for the in vitro model, and muscle tissues from C57BL/6N mice fed a high-fat diet supplemented with 5% LF or HF for 16 weeks were used for the in vivo model. Although both the LF and HF extracts significantly inhibited α-glucosidase activity in a dose-dependent manner, the HF extract had a superior α-glucosidase inhibition than the LF extract. In addition, glucose uptake was significantly increased by LJ- and HF-treated groups when compared to the control group. Phosphorylation of protein kinase B and AMP-activated protein kinase was induced by LJ and HF in both the vivo and in vitro skeletal muscle models. Furthermore, LJ and HF significantly decreased tumor necrosis factor-α whereas both extracts increased interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated C2C12 myotubes. Taken together, these findings imply that the brown seaweeds LJ and HF could be useful therapeutic agents to attenuate muscle insulin resistance due to diet-induced obesity and its associated inflammation.

Background Fucoidan is derived from seaweed widely used in Japanese cuisine, but little is known about its influence on glucose metabolism. To obtain …

Background/Aims: Uterine leiomyomas (ULs) are benign uterine tumors, and the most notable pathophysiologic feature of ULs is excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Fucoidan is a polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweeds that has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anti-fibrotic effects. We aimed to study the effe

The aim of this study was to determine whether low-molecular-weight fucoidan (LMWF) can reduce TGF-β-mediated pathogenesis of tubulointerstitial fibro…

Retention after treatment and effective anchorage control are two essential factors in orthodontics. Fucoidan treatment inhibits orthodontic tooth movement and enhances the stability of teeth after m...

Fucoidan is composed of l-fucose, sulfate groups and one or more small proportions of d-xylose, d-mannose, d-galactose, l-rhamnose, arabinose, glucose…

Background: Fucoidan is a natural sulfated polysaccharide which exists mainly in the cell wall matrix of various species of brown seaweed. Various forms of fucoidan have also been recognized in some marine invertebrates such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers. Fucoidan inhibits the spread of cancerous cells by preventing the adhesion of tumor cells to the extracellular matrix in addition to inducing apoptosis, or programmed self-destruction, in human T-cells infected by T-cells leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) which causes adult T-cell leukemia. The polysaccharide has also been shown to stimulate the phagocytic action of macrophages and synthesis of several immune cell types, which increases protection against infection. Fucoidan gives the immune system a big boost by enhancing phagocytosis. Additionally, it increases the number of mature white blood cells which are circulating in the body, thereby bolstering the first line of defense against infections and diseases. Moreover, fucoidan has anti-coagulant, anti-thrombotic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-allergic, anti-tumor properties and also many others. Methods and Results: In this study, we investigated whether fucoidan is able to alleviate the vascular remodeling process triggered by immunological stimuli in rat allogenic aorta transplantation model, in addition to the evaluated potential mechanisms responsible for the observed effects. Our rat aorta transplantation model was subjected to intraperitoneal or oral treatment with fucoidan or placebo. The results of our study demonstrated that fucoidan inhibits endointimal hyperplasia formation and vascular modulation. In particular, intraperitoneal and oral administration of fucoidan reduced neointima formation in allografts retrieved 8 weeks after transplantation. Moreover, both treatments with fucoidan reduced the number of smooth muscle (SM) a-actin positive cells in intima and adventitia, decreased percentage of macrophages in intima and media, and increased the number of leukocytes in media of the allografts. Fucoidan treatments have also caused reduction in apoptosis in allograft intima and media. Conclusion: Through our study, we demonstrated the inhibitory effect of fucoidan on vascular remodeling in transplant vasculopathy within rats. Our study is the first report of the beneficial effects of fucoidan oral administration on this process, which may have important clinical implications and result in a better understanding of vascular remodeling.  Keywords : fucoidan, transplant vasculopathy, vascular remodeling

The fucoidan with high anticancer activity was isolated from brown alga Fucus evanescens. The compound effectively prevented EGF-induced neoplastic cell transformation through inhibition of TOPK/ERK1/2/MSK 1 signaling axis. In vitro studies showed that the fucoidan attenuated mitogen-activated prote …

Polysaccharides from Laminaria japonica (LJPs) are reported to have various functional properties, but the effects and mechanisms of LJPs on obesity and its related diseases are unclear. This study demonstrated that LJPs prevented diet-induced obesity in a mice model, and improved obesity-related pa …

Laminaria japonica, one of the most widespread seafood consumed in China and many other nations, has been traditionally utilized as an effective therapeutically active substance for treating weight loss, phlegm elimination, and detumescence for more than 2000 years. Numerous studies have found that

Background This study was to investigate the effect and its possible mechanism of fucoidan on the development of spontaneous autoimmune diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. Methods 7-week-old NOD mice were randomly divided into three groups: control group, low-dose (300 mg/kg) and high-dose (600 mg/kg) fucoidan-treatment groups. After 5 weeks of treatment, 10 mice per group were randomly selected to be sacrificed after feces collection. The remaining 12 mice per group were fed until 26 weeks of age to assess the incidence of diabetes. Results Treatment with fucoidan increased serum insulin level, delayed the onset and decreased the development of diabetes in NOD mice. Fucoidan reduced the levels of strong Th1 proinflammatory cytokines, but induced Th2-bias ed. cytokine response. And dentridic cells (DCs) in fucoidan treatment group were characterized as low expression of MHC class II and CD86 molecules. TLR4 expressions and the downstream molecules in pancreas were down-regulated in fucoidan-treated groups. There were significant differences in the composition of gut flora between NOD control group and fucoidan group. Lactobacillus and Akkermansia were significantly enriched in fucoidan group. Conclusions Fucoidan could prevent the development of autoimmune diabetes in NOD mice via regulating DC/Treg induced immune tolerance, improving gut microecology, down-regulating TLR4 signaling pathway, and maintaining pancreatic internal environment.

Cancer survivors are highly motivated to seek information about the use of dietary supplements and complementary nutritional therapies to improve their quality of life. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown marine alga, exhibits a wide range of bioactivities, including anticancer activity. As natural killer (NK) cells serve an important role in defenses against tumor cells, the present study examined the effects of fucoidan extracted from Cladosiphon Okamuranus on NK cell activity in cancer survivors. A prospective, open‑label clinical study was conducted on cancer survivors treated with fucoidan via oral administration; 11 cancer survivors with a performance status of 0 or 1 participated and consumed 3 g of fucoidan for 6 months. No significant changes were observed in the mean activities of NK cells in total subjects following the ingestion of fucoidan. An analysis of each sex revealed that NK cell activity was significantly increased by the ingestion of fucoidan in male, yet not female subjects. Serum fucoidan levels were markedly increased following the ingestion of fucoidan and the peak levels ranged between 30 and 198 ng/ml. Tumor markers remained within the reference range during the trial period in subjects, in whom primary tumors were eradicated by treatment. The basal values of tumor markers were elevated in three cases; tumor markers were increased in two cases and decreased in one by the ingestion of fucoidan. These findings suggest that fucoidan enhances the activation of NK cells in male cancer survivors.

Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide that is primarily extracted from brown seaweeds which has been broadly studied in recent years due to its numerous biological properties, including anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antitumor, and antiviral activities. In this study, we investigated whether fucoidan has the ability to attenuate the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators such as NO, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), TNF-α, and IL-1β in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Fucoidan inhibited the expression of LPS-induced pro-inflammatory mediators including NO, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β. In addition, gene expression of iNOS, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), TNF-α, and IL-1β was inhibited both at mRNA and protein levels by fucoidan treatment, without any cytotoxic effect. Moreover, fucoidan significantly inhibited LPS-induced NF-κB activity NF-κB translocation into the nucleus by preventing the degradation of iκB-α. Taken together, these results indicate that fucoidan downregulates the expression of pro-inflammatory genes involved in the synthesis of NO, PGE2, TNF-α, and IL-1β in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells by suppressing NF-κB activity.

Fucoidans are sulfated polysaccharides that are extracted from brown algae. Fucoidans with low molecular weight (LMWF) have been revealed various biological activities and health benefits. The aim of...

Background/Aim: Administration of cisplatin in cancer patients is limited by the kidney-related adverse effects; however, a protective strategy is absent. We hypothesized that fucoidan protects the proximal tubule epithelial (TH-1) cells against the effects of cisplatin. Materials and Methods: To assess the effect of fucoidan, its effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, DNA damage response (DDR), apoptosis, and cell-cycle arrest in TH-1 cells was investigated. Results: Cisplatin increased the accumulation of ROS, leading to excessive ER stress. In presence of cisplatin, treatment of TH-1 cells with fucoidan significantly reduced the ER stress by maintaining the complex of GRP78 with PERK and IRE1α. In particular, fucoidan enhanced the antioxidative capacity through up-regulation of PrPC. Furthermore, fucoidan suppressed cisplatin-induced apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest, whereas silencing of PRNP blocked these effects of fucoidan. Conclusion: Fucoidan may be a potential adjuvant therapy for cancer patients treated with cisplatin as it preserves renal functionality.

Fucoidan has been reported to exhibit various beneficial activities ranging from to antivirus and anticancer properties. However, little information is available about the effects of fucoidan on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Our study aimed to explore the effects of fucoidan on cerebra …

Fucoidan has been reported to exhibit various beneficial activities ranging from to antivirus and anticancer properties. However, little information is available about the effects of fucoidan on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Our study aimed to explore the effects of fucoidan on cerebra …

Fucoidan was purified from seaweed, Turbinaria conoides. Isolated fragments were characterized with NMR (13C, 1H), Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectronomy…

Fucoidans (FUC) are organic sulfated polysaccharides from natural seaweeds with multiple biological actions. The current study was performed to assess the chemoprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of FUC from Laminaria japonicum against diazinon (DZN)-induced injuries to rat cardiac, hepatic, and renal tissues. Forty male Wistar rats were assigned into five groups, receiving saline, oral FUC 200 mg/kg/day, subcutaneous DZN 20 mg/kg/day, DZN plus FUC 100 mg/kg/day, or DZN plus FUC 200 mg/kg/day (each treatment was given daily for 4 weeks). Data analysis showed that DZN-intoxicated rats exhibited significantly higher (p

Brown seaweed is a common food for Asians, and the bioactive ingredient fucoxanthin exerts anti-apoptotic activities in several cell types. Renal tubu…