Sea cucumbers have a number of substances that have therapeutic value, however little research has been done with sea cucumber to have a full understanding of the many interesting compounds found within this sea dweller.

Joint Power Rx with Sea Cucumber
Physician Formulas -- Formulated by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Because joint pain is so debilitating, Glucosamine and Chondroitin alone are not enough. This powerful formula includes sea cucumber and several additional herbal extracts and nutrients that play a role in joint health.  

Joint Power Rx Supplement Facts:
Serving Size: 4 Capsules
Servings Per Container: 30 (1 month supply)


See Joint-Power-Rx for more details or to purchase
Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month we email a brief abstract of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics - including sea cucumber - and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Amount Per Serving:
Glucosamine sulfate from shellfish)
Chondroitin sulfate
MSM nutrient is also known as methyl sulfonyl methane
CMO complex
Boswellia serrata extract is an herb used in Ayurvedic medicine
Curcumin is an extract from the spice turmeric which is very popular in Indian cooking
Cat's claw is an herb from South America
Devil's claw extract
Grape seed extract
Sea Cucumber

Sea Cucumber Research Update
Philinopside a, a novel marine-derived compound possessing dual anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effects.
Int J Cancer. 2005 May 10;114(6):843-53.
Philinopside A is a novel sulfated saponin isolated from the sea cucumber, Pentacta quadrangulari. The effects of philinopside A on angiogenesis and tumor growth were assessed in a series of models in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrated that philinopside A significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and tube formation of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMECs) in a dose-dependent manner.These results suggest that philinopside A is a promising anti-cancer agent that possesses dual cytotoxic and anti-angiogenic effects that were at least partly due to its inhibitory effects on RTKs.

Pseudostichoposide B--new triterpene glycoside with unprecedent type of sulfatation from the deep-water North-Pacific Sea cucumber Pseudostichopus trachus.
Nat Prod Res. 2004 Dec;18(6):565-70.
New triterpene disulfated tetraoside, pseudostichoposide B (1) has been isolated from the sea cucumber Pseudostichopus trachus. The structure of this glycoside has been deduced by the extensive analysis of NMR and mass-spectra and chemical evidence. Except for a common sulfate group at C-4 of the first xylose residue, pseudostichoposide B contains an additional sulfate group at C-3 of quinovose residue in the carbohydrate chain, not earlier found in sea cucumber glycosides.

[Use of fish oil enriched with carotenoids isolated from sea cucumbers in the diet therapy of patients with hypertension and ischemic heart disease]
Vopr Pitan. 2003;72(6):25-8.
Usage of antisclerotic diet with fish oil and carotinoides in patients with IND and high blood pressure resulted in positive dynamic of clinic manifestation, blood lipid, coagulogramms, antioxygen and immune status.

[Comparative study of cytotoxic and hemolytic effects of triterpenoids isolated from Ginseng and Sea cucumber]
Izv Akad Nauk Ser Biol. 2002 Mar-Apr;(2):155-64.
Specific features of cytotoxic (against tumor cells), hemolytic, and liposomal (effect on permeability) activities of triterpenoids isolated from sea cucumbers and ginseng roots were studied. It was shown that oleanolic acid, protopanaxatriol, and protopanaxadiol at 5 to 20 micrograms/ml inhibited the growth of tumor cells, while at doses up to 100 micrograms/ml, they did not induce hemolysis or changes in liposome permeability. Monoglucosides of protopanaxadiol, Rh2, Rg3, and substance K exerted moderate cytotoxic and membrane activities. The membrane sensitivity to these glucosides was inversely proportional to the membrane content of cholesterol. The cytotoxicity of the protopanaxadiol-active glycosides increased with a decrease of pH of the medium. All studied glycosides did not affect the cell and model lipid membranes. The activity of the oleanolic acid glycoside, ginsenoside Z-R1, depended to a great extent on the pH of the medium. The decrease of pH from 7.4 to 5.6 increased the membranolytic activities by more than one order of magnitude. Glycosides from sea cucumbers, echinosides A and B, holothurins A and B, holotoxin A1, and cucumarioside G1, had very high cytotoxic and liposomal activities. Addition of cholesterol to cell membranes enhanced the cytotoxic effects of these glycosides. The ginsenosides with two carbohydrate moieties (bisdesmosides), as well as all the panaxatriol glycosides we studied did not exhibit cytotoxic activities against tumor cells or alter the permeability of model lipid and lipid-sterol membranes. The triterpenoids studied were classified into four categories in accordance with their membranotropic activities. A possible protective role of these glycosides in the organism-producent is discussed.

Sea Cucumber emails
Q. As a Chinese, we are used to cooking a lot of different kinds of sea cucumber dishes. I keep hearing the elderly say that sea cucumber is good for our body especially for old people and women. But the fact is, I really have no idea how good is it. After reading some of your statements about sea cucumber, I find that this creature is really full of nutrients. So could you please provide more information for me about sea cucumber?
   A. We update our site on sea cucumber as more research is published.

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