Fucoidan and tumors
The Role of NK cells in Antitumor Activity of Dietary Fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida Sporophylls (Mekabu).
Planta Med. 2006 Oct 20; Department of Pathology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Kitasato University, Kitasato Kanagawa, Japan.
Fucoidan from Mekabu (sporophyll of undaria pinnatifida), a dietary alga, exerts antitumor activity possibly through enhancing the immune response. The present report describes the effects of dietary Mekabu fucoidan on the tumor growth of mouse A20 leukemia cells and on T cell-mediated immune responses in T cell receptor transgenic (DO-11 - 10 - Tg) mice. The animals were fed with a diet containing 1 % Mekabu fucoidan (0.034 +/- 0.003 g/mouse/day) for 10 days and subcutaneously ( S. C.) inoculated with A20 leukemia cells. Thereafter, the mice were fed with the diet containing fucoidan for 40 days. Mekabu fucoidan inhibited tumors by 65 %. We studied how the killer activities of T cell-mediated and natural killer (NK) cells are augmented in DO-11 - 10 mice fed with Mekabu fucoidan. Thus, these findings suggested that Mekabu fucoidan mediates tumor destruction through Th1 cell and NK cell responses.

Fucoidan against HIV virus
Defensive effects of a fucoidan from brown alga Undaria pinnatifida against herpes simplex virus infection.
Int Immunopharmacol. 2008 January. Hayashi K, Nakano T, Hashimoto M, Kanekiyo K, Hayashi T. Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from an edible brown alga Undaria pinnatifida, was previously shown to be a potent inhibitor of the in vitro replication of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). HSV-1 is a member of herpes viruses that cause infections ranging from trivial mucosal ulcers to life-threatening disorders in immune compromised hosts. In the present study, the effects of fucoidan were examined on in vivo viral replication and the host's immune defense system. Oral administration of the fucoidan protected mice from infection with HSV-1 as judged from the survival rate and lesion scores. Phagocytic activity of macrophages and B cell blastogenesis in vitro were significantly stimulated by the fucoidan. Oral administration of the fucoidan produced the augmentation of NK activity in HSV-1-infected immunosuppressed mice. The production of neutralizing antibodies in the mice inoculated with HSV-1 was significantly promoted during the oral administration of the fucoidan for 3 weeks. These results suggest that oral intake of the fucoidan might take the protective effects through direct inhibition of viral replication and stimulation of both innate and adaptive immune defense functions.

Fucoidan side effect and toxicity
Toxicological evaluation of fucoidan extracted from Laminaria japonica in Wistar rats.
Food Chem Toxicol. 2005 Mar;43(3):421-6.
Investigating the toxicity of fucoidan. In this study, the acute and subchronic (6 months) toxicity of varying levels of fucoidan extracted from Laminaria japonica was investigated in Wistar rats after oral administration. The results showed that no significant toxicological changes were observed when 300 mg/kg body weight per day fucoidan was administered to rats. But when the dose was increased to 900 and 2500 mg/kg body weight per day, the clotting time was significantly prolonged. Besides this, no other signs of toxicity were observed. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the no side effect level of fucoidan from L. japonica is 300 mg/kg body weight per day.

Fucoidan and allergy
Fucoidan prevents C epsilon germline transcription and NFkappaB p52 translocation for IgE production in B cells.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 Nov 24;350(3):501-7. Hiroshima Prefectural Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.
Fucoidan, a dietary fiber contained in seaweed, reduces the increase of antigen-specific IgE in mice exposed to ovalbumin. In this study, we investigated the effect of fucoidan on IgE production and intracellular events in B cells in vitro. Fucoidan inhibited the production of IgE and C epsilon germline transcription in murine B cells induced by IL-4 (100 ng/ml) and anti-CD40 antibodies (10 microg/ml), whereas it stimulated cell proliferation. A significant effect of fucoidan on IgE production was observed when B cells were stimulated with a higher dose (5 microg/ml) of anti-CD40 antibodies, but not when stimulated with lower doses (1.25, 2.5 microg/ml), regardless of the IL-4 concentrations. Moreover, nuclear translocation of NFkappaB p52, but neither that of NFkappaB p65, nor the phosphorylation of JAK1 and STAT6 was reduced by fucoidan. These results suggest that fucoidan inhibited IgE production by preventing the NFkappaB p52-mediated pathways activated by CD40.

Fucoidan tumor and cancer effect
Immunomodulating activity of arabinogalactan and fucoidan in vitro.
J Med Food. 2005 Winter;8(4):446-53.
Department of Biotechnology & Bioproducts Research Center, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
Many polysaccharides obtained from natural sources are considered to be biological response modifiers and have been shown to enhance various immune responses. Here, we investigated the immunomodulating effects of arabinogalactan and fucoidan in vitro. Mouse spleen lymphocytes became cytotoxic to tumor cells after culture with arabinogalactan and fucoidan at concentrations of 10-100 microg/mL. These data suggest that arabinogalactan and fucoidan are activators of lymphocytes and macrophages. This property may contribute to their effectiveness in the immunoprevention of cancer.

Fucoidan as anticoagulant
Use of sulfated fucans as anticoagulant and antithrombotic agents: future perspectives.
Curr Pharm Des. 2004;10(9):967-81.
Sulfated alpha-L-fucans from brown algae (also known as fucoidan) have complex and heterogeneous structures but recent studies revealed the occurrence of ordered repeat units in the sulfated fucans from several species. Even in these cases, the presence of highly branched portions and the complex distributions of sulfate and acetyl groups highlight the heterogeneity of algal fucans. Another source of sulfated alpha-L-fucans (and their parental compounds sulfated alpha-L-galactans and fucosylated chondroitin sulfate) is marine invertebrates. The invertebrate polysaccharides have simple, ordered structures, which differ in the specific patterns of sulfation and/or position of the glycosidic linkages within their repeating units. The algal and invertebrate sulfated fucans have potent anticoagulant activity, mediated by antithrombin and/or heparin cofactor II. As most of the studies were carried out with algal fucans it was not easy to trace a structure versus activity relationship. This aspect was clarified as studies were extended to invertebrate polysaccharides. These definitively established that regular, linear sulfated alpha-L-fucans and sulfated alpha-L-galactans express anticoagulant activity, which is not simply a function of charge density, but depends critically on the pattern of sulfation and monosaccharide composition. Sulfated alpha-L-fucans and fucosylated chondroitin sulfate also express antithrombotic activity when tested on in vivo models of venous and arterial thrombosis in experimental animals. These polysaccharides constitute potential therapeutic compounds as alternative to heparin and may help to design structure-based drugs with specific activity on each type of thrombosis episode and few side effects. They can also serve as research reagents to investigate and distinguish among a variety of interrelated events, such as coagulation, bleeding, thrombosis and platelet aggregation.

Anticoagulant activity of fucoidan from brown algae Fucus evanescens of the Okhotsk Sea.
Bull Exp Biol Med. 2003 Nov;136(5):471-3.
In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that anticoagulant activity of sulfated polysaccharide from Fucus evanescens (brown algae of the Okhotsk Sea) was similar to that of heparin. Anticoagulant properties of fucoidan are determined by thrombin inhibition mediated via plasma antithrombin III.

Immunostimulating and anticoagulating activity of fucoidan from brown algae Fucus evanescens of Okhotskoe sea
Antibiot Khimioter. 2003;48(4):11-3.
Fucoidan --nontoxic sulfated polysaccharide was isolated from brown algae Fucus evanescens in Okhotskoe Sea. Chemical analysis of the compound was performed, it was shown that fucoidan is freely soluble in water and acid solutions. Immunotropic and anticoagulating properties of the compound were evaluated in comparison with heparin. It was demonstrated that fucoidan in wide range of doses stimulated phagocytic and bactericidic activity at leucocytes of mice peritoneal exudate. Heparin on the contrary demonstrated depressive effect on these functions at high dose. It was shown that fucoidan has dose-dependent anticoagulating activity in vitro and in vivo comparable with heparin activity. The results of investigation demonstrated possibility of fucoidan application as immunomodulating and anticoagulating agent of plant origin.

Fucoidan and oxalate kidney stone
Renal peroxidative changes mediated by oxalate: the protective role of fucoidan.
Life Sci. 2006 Oct 4;79(19):1789-95. Epub 2006 Jun 16. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dr ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani Campus, Chennai, India.
Oxalate, one of the major constituents of renal stones is known to induce free radicals which damage the renal membrane. Damaged epithelia might act as nidi for stone formation aggravating calcium oxalate precipitation during hyperoxaluria. In the present study, the beneficial effects of fucoidan on oxalate-induced free radical injury were investigated. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups. Hyperoxaluria was induced in two groups by administration of 0.75% ethylene glycol in drinking water for 28 days and one of them was treated with fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus at a dose of 5 mg/kg b.wt subcutaneously commencing from the 8th day of induction. A control and drug control (fucoidan alone) was also included in the study. The extent of renal injury in hyperoxaluria was evident from the increased activities of alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, beta-glucuronidase, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase in urine. There was a positive correlation between plasma malondialdehyde levels and renal membrane damage indicating a striking relation between free radical formation and cellular injury. Increased protein carbonyl and decreased thiols further exemplified the oxidative milieu prevailing during hyperoxaluria. Decreased renal membrane ATPases accentuated the renal membrane damage induced by oxalate. Renal microscopic analysis showed abnormal findings in histology as an evidence of oxalate damage. The above biochemical and histopathological discrepancies were abrogated with fucoidan administration, indicating its protective role in oxalate mediated peroxidative injury.

Fucoidan availability
Herb and ingredient suppliers sell fucoidan from brown seaweeds in various extract concentrations including 50 percent fucoidan and 70 percent fucoidan.

Fucoidan emails
Q. I have chronic progressive ms, and at 66 have been diagnosed since age 35 with same. Your thoughts or suggestions relative to fucoidan for usage to help would be appreciated. Have taken copaxone for four years, seemed to help, not certain, take 4-Amino pyridene, and low dosage Naltrexone, evening primrose, 2000mg day.
   A. I have not studied fucoidan enough to know how it would influence MS.

Q. I've been reading a lot about Fucoidan, and it seems amazing and to good to be true. My question is, what is the best way to take Fucoidan, by drinking or by capsule. It also seems there are some multi level marketing companies out their, and you would think manufacturer's would try to market it through regular channels to places the consumer would trust. It seem a little scrupulous.
   A. I do not have enough practical experience with fucoidan to know these answers. Fucoidan is relatively new as a supplement and we have not gotten to it yet to see how it works when ingested.

Q. I saw your study summaries of fucoidan last week on your Web site. I am a college professor in marketing who gets students coming by all the time with new products that they are being asked to sell, usually in a multi-level marketing manner. I have gotten pretty good at sniffing out the scams, I believe, and help them all I can. Your site, which I just found last week, will really help me help them. Thanks so much!

Q. I have been reading a lot about Limu and products with Fucoidan, there have been over 600 medical studies, please check this out! I was wondering if you would be carrying anything with fucoidan product in the future?
   A. We would like to see a couple of human studies with fucoidan to determine what kind of an effect a fucoidan supplement has on the body.

Q. I am a distributor of Original Limu and took it religiously for over a year, with wonderful results (energy, sleep, arthritis, etc). The recommended dose is 2 to 4 oz. a day, but the company also says that since it has a six-second flash process when it is formulated, it has live enzymes, is a live food, and cannot hurt you (you can drink as much as you want, with no harm). Obviously, the company has never said that it will heal or cure anything either. After about a year, my husband and I noticed that it was making our hair terribly dry and straw-like. My husband's skin also became very dry and itchy. I didn't make the connection between these symptoms and the Limu, until one of my downlines (who has been a hairdresser for 30 years) called and said she was stopping the Limu because of what it was doing to her hair. Then the lightbulb went off and I knew what had been causing our problems. When we stop, our hair clears up....when we start up again, it comes back. Of course, my uplines don't quite believe me and say no one else has ever had this problem. And, of course, that's because at first Limu makes your hair very soft and nice. But my husband and I were drinking more than the recommended dose, per day, and I think we got too much of some ingredient or reached toxic levels or something. I have been researching for hours on the Internet on Fucoidan, alginic acid, etc. One thing I found was that too much alginic acid (which is in the seaweed in Limu) can leach important nutrients out of your system. This is as close as I've come to finding something.
   A. I have not come across any significant research in humans with fucoidan, let alone long term research. Hence I don't know what the effects of fucoidan or Limu ingestion would be if used for prolonged periods. Dry hair is sometimes caused by low thyroid levels, or mineral imbalances, alterations in fatty acid synthesis such as omega-3s, but there are other causes for dry hair. I often tell my patients to take a break from the use of supplements, at least one day off a week, and one week of every month or two. Taking breaks is even more important in regards to new supplements that have been introduced with little knowledge of their long term effects.

Q. Recently, I was given an invitation to add a beverage to my daily diet which is rich in fucoidan. What do you know about the research that has been done with fucoidan.
   A. As of January 2008, I have not come across human research with a fucoidan supplement. I would guess that fucoidan is a healthy addition to one's diet, but I would not use it daily for the time being until we see some human studies.

Q. What's the difference between fucose and fucoidan?
   A. Fucose is a sugar and the fundamental sub-unit of the fucoidan polysaccharide.

Raw material suppliers carry fucoidan in various forms including
Fucoidan 70% (Ascophyllum Nodosum)