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

This powerful formula includes sea cucumber and several additional herbal extracts and nutrients that play a role in joint health.  

Glucosamine sulfate from shellfish. You can purchase Glucosamine supplement by itself.
Chondroitin sulfate
MSM nutrient is also known as methyl sulfonyl methane. You can purchase MSM supplement by itself.
CMO complex. You can purchase CMO complex supplement by itself.
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. You can buy Cats Claw extract supplement separately.
Devil's claw extract
Grape seed extract. You can purchase Grape Seed extract supplement by itself.
Sea Cucumber Pseudocalochirus Axiologus

Side effects, safety
As of 2018 I am not aware of studies that have indicated adverse reactions.

Q. I am considering taking sea cucumber supplement for osteoarthritis, but I am on Plavix (since a stroke). Do you know if sea cucumber has a thinning effect on the blood? I heard there was some concern about this, but cannot find any study about it.
   A. I am not aware of studies that have evaluated the blood thinning potential of this product.

Sea Cucumber Research studies
Mar Drugs. 2015. Sea Cucumbers Metabolites as Potent Anti-Cancer Agents. Sea cucumbers and their extracts have gained immense popularity and interest among researchers and nutritionists due to their nutritive value, potential health benefits, and use in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Many areas of the world use sea cucumbers in traditional foods and folk medicine.  Most sea cucumber extracts are being studied for their anti-inflammatory functions, immune stimulatory properties, and for cancer prevention and treatment. Sea cucumber extracts contain unique components, such as modified triterpene glycosides, sulfated polysaccharides, glycosphingolipids, and esterified phospholipids. Frondanol A5, an isopropyl alcohol/water extract of the enzymatically hydrolyzed epithelia of the edible North Atlantic sea cucumber, Cucumaria frondosa, contains monosulfated triterpenoid glycoside Frondoside A, the disulfated glycoside Frondoside B, the trisulfated glycoside Frondoside C, 12-methyltetradecanoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and fucosylated chondroitin sulfate. We have extensively studied the efficacy of this extract in preventing colon cancer in rodent models

Food Chem. 2013. Anticancer activity and mediation of apoptosis in human HL-60 leukaemia cells by edible sea cucumber (Holothuria edulis) extract. Sea cucumbers have been a dietary delicacy and important ingredient in Asian traditional medicinal over many centuries. In this study, edible sea cucumber Holothuria edulis was evaluated for its in vitro anticancer potential. An aqueous fraction of the edible sea cucumber (ESC-AQ) has been shown to deliver a strong cytotoxic effect against the human HL-60 leukaemia cell line. An induction effect of apoptotic body formation in response to ESC-AQ treatment was confirmed in HL-60 cells stained with Hoechst 33342 and confirmed via flow cytometry analysis. The up regulation of Bax and caspase-3 protein expression was observed while the expression of Bcl-xL protein was down regulated in ESC-AQ treated HL-60 cells. Due to the profound anticancer activity, ESC-AQ appears to be an economically important biomass fraction that can be exploited in numerous industrial applications as a source of functional ingredients.

Philinopside a, a novel marine-derived compound possessing dual anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor effects.
Int J Cancer. 2005.
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.
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.
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. 20024.
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 and the common cold
Feb 2009 - results from an in vitro study show a compound extracted from sea cucumbers known as NGNA (N-glycolylneuraminic acid) has antiviral activity against the rhinovirus, the cause of the majority colds that affect Americans annually, and the compound is non-toxic to human cells. According to Dan Edwall, PhD, vice-president of R&D at Scandinavian Clinical Nutrition AB (SCN) – holder of the world-wide rights to NGNA since 2007 – the compound and other sialic acids cover cell membranes and affect cell adhesion and communication. The company's goal is to ultimately take the sea cucumber extract into food supplements and a nasal spray. Scandinavian Clinical Nutrition AB is collaborating with scientists from Louisiana State University, Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, and other CROs and academics. It will be some time before NGNA will be found in food supplements. Dr Dan Edwall said that a nasal spray is anticipated, and that SCN is investigating potential partners in the cough/cold/flu segment of the market.

Sea Cucumber supplement emails
As a Chinese resident in China, 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?
   We update our site on sea cucumber as more research is published.

I refer to your website often for honest answers. I would like to know what species of sea cucumber is in your Joint Rx formula. Your info' speaks of Pentacta; is that in this supplement or the more common Holothurian? How can I get just a pure Pentacta sea cucumber extract? I've searched the internet.

One of the questions on your website was where to find pure Pentacta sea cucumber. There is one called Angiostop by Dr. Chi, which can be found by googling either name. I have used this supplement for about two years since I had breast cancer, and so far, so good. The down side is the expense nearly $200 per bottle, a month's supply. There is another lady who has used it for 7 years without any recurrence of her cancer. Just wanted to help out the person who was looking for this product.

For more information on joint formula for arthritis help.

Emails
I have bad arthritis in my hands, not from food I eat but from a business I owned for 15 years and lifting and moving heavy items. I want to purchase "Sea Cucumber" powder/pill a supplement form- can't seem to find it - I do not want all the other fillers just the sea cucumber. I live out in the country not near a city. Can you help direct me somewhere to purchase this? I also have thinning hair (thyroid - lack of) and I heard that this "Sea Cucumber is also good for that among other things and want to try it - I want the Sea Cucumber - the fish - and would like a referral to a reliable supplier - just for myself.
   A. I am not aware of sea cucumber being sold by itself as a supplement, most wholesale suppliers would sell it by large containers of several kilograms.
      Q. I was reading your article on Sea Cucumber. At the bottom was an email from someone who was looking to buy Sea Cucumber and you told him it wasn’t available, that you were aware. I take a Sea Cucumber supplement from Swanson Vitamins (the only place I can find it) and have been for years. It has helped me immensely with arthritis pain and now I barely have any arthritis discomfort at all. It’s simply called Sea Cucumber (500 mg).

Suppliers - email received 2018
Primary Nutrition Inc is a producer of sea cucumber powder. We have been involved in managing this American (USA) fishery for the past 20 years. Each our sister company catches millions of pounds of deep water Orange Footed Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) in the deep cold waters of the North Atlantic ocean, the lion-share of our production goes to culinary use overseas. Fourteen months ago we decided to allocated up to one million pounds of this material annually to the nutraceutical, pet, pharma and cosmetic markets worldwide.  Bio-Naturals, LLC is the exclusive sales agency for our sister company Primary Nutrition, Inc. As a sales agency, we also represent other primary-producers of nutritional supplement ingredients including:· Salmon Protein hydrolysate· Salmon Collagen hydrolysate· Salmon Bone Calcium powder· Salmon Oil from organic farmed salmon· Coconut water, milk, and performance powders· Camelina oil

PRODUCTS from the sea: Alaria Irish Moss Bladderwrack Kelp Coral Calcium Laver Dulse Nori Flakes Fucoxanthin Oyster Meat Rockweed Sea Cucumber Sea Lettuce Shark Cartilage Green Lipped Mussel Spirulina.