2016

Fucoidan from sea cucumber is reported to exhibit anti-hyperglycaemic effect, but its influence on pancreatic islets is lacking. The effects of fucoid …

Fucoidan is a marine-origin sulfated polysaccharide that can show anticancer activity, to which both pro- and anti-angiogenic responses have been repo…

Reality Check with Ben Swann - http://truthinmedia.com/reality-check-fdas-disinformation-campaign-kratom/ The opioid crisis is killing tens of thousands of Americans each year. So why would the FDA crack down on a substance that may be helping millions of addicts get off drugs like heroin and Oxycontin? This is a Reality Check you won't get anywhere else. Did you remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel? Also follow me here: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BenSwannRealityCheck Twitter - https://twitter.com/BenSwann_ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/BenSwann_/ Newsletter signup - http://truthinmedia.com/newsletter-signup

In part I of this series on pain medication side effects, I discuss the common pitfalls of using pain medication for chronic pain problems, including weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, muscle loss, leaky gut problems, and much much more. Make sure you watch part II as well. Subscribe to Dr. Osborne for more natural remedies and functional medicine solutions: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorPeterO... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/docosborne/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drosborne Twitter: https://twitter.com/glutenology *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This video is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Additionally, this information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician. Dr. Osborne is not a medical doctor. He does not treat disease. He offers nutritional support to people seeking an alternative from traditional

Does Coffee Cause Autoimmune Disease? The simple answer is, it depends. Research studies have linked coffee consumption to a number of different autoimmune conditions. Type I Diabetes, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, GERD (reflux), and celiac disease are all on the list of diseases that coffee can contribute to. If you have been diagnosed with these conditions, show your doctor this research and ask if coffee is right for you ;) To connect with Dr. Osborne visit: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DoctorPeterO... Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/docosborne/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drosborne Twitter: https://twitter.com/glutenology *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This video is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. It is strictly intended for educational purposes only. Additionally, this information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician. Dr. Osborne is not a medical doctor. He does not treat or diagnose disease. He offers nutritional support to people seeking an alternative from traditional medicine. Dr. Osborne is licensed with the Pastoral Medical Association.

A groundbreaking new study published in Advances in Mind Body Medicine validates the role of holistic approaches in helping patients successfully withdraw from psychotropic drugs

Ecklonia maxima, an endemic South African seaweed, is a potential source of beneficial bioactive compounds. Among these compounds, fucoidan, a sulphat…

Fucoidan is a fucose-rich polysaccharide that has gained attention for its various anticancer properties. However, the effect and underlying mechanism…

Fucoidan, the complex fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharide varies considerably in structure, composition, and bioactivity, depending on the source, species, seasonality, and extraction method. In this study, we examined five fucoidans extracted from the same seaweed species Undaria pinnatifida but from different geological locations, and compared them to the laboratory-grade fucoidan from Sigma (S). The five products differed in molecular composition. The amount of over 2 kDa low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) of the New Zealand crude fucoidan (S1) was larger than that of S, and this fraction was unique, compared to the other four fucoidans. The difference of molecular compositions between S and S1 explained our previous observation that S1 exhibited different anticancer profile in some cancer cell lines, compared with S. Since we observed this unique LMWF, we compared the cytotoxic effects of a LMWF and a high molecular weight fucoidan (HMWF) in two breast cancer cell lines—MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Results indicated that the molecular weight is a critical factor in determining the anti-cancer potential of fucoidan, from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida, as the LMWF exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of breast cancer cells, significantly better than the HMWF, in both cell lines. A time-dependent inhibition was only observed in the MCF-7. Induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis was observed in the MDA-MB-231 cells, through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway alone, or with the extrinsic pathway. LMWF stimulated a dose-dependent NOS activation in the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the fucoidan extracted from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida contains a unique LMWF, which could effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the LMWF from New Zealand U. pinnatifida could be used as a supplement cancer treatment.

Inflammation induces pancreatic islet cell apoptosis. Effects of fucoidan from Acaudina molpadioides (Am-FUC) on inhibition of pancreatic islet cell apoptosis and inflammation in type 2 diabetic mice were investigated. Am-FUC repaired pancreatic islet cells, decreased serum C-reactive protein (CRP), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 (MIP-1), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels, and increased the IL-10 level. Am-FUC also reduced TNF-α, CRP, MIP-1, IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNA expressions, and increased IL-10 mRNA expression in epididymal adipose tissues. Am-FUC reduced Bid, Bax, cytochrome c, caspase 9, and caspase 3 mRNA expressions, and increased Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL mRNA expressions. Am-FUC down-regulated t-Bid, Bax, cytochrome c, and caspase 9 activities, cleaved caspase 3 proteins, and up-regulated Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL proteins. Thus, an Am-FUCblocked mitochondrial pathway was the suppression mechanism in pancreatic islet cell apoptosis via regulation of inflammatory cytokines providing dietary intervention in type 2 diabetes and inflammation-induced pancreatic islet apoptosis.

Background Fucoidan extract (FE), an enzymatically digested compound with a low molecular weight, is extracted from brown seaweed. As a natural compound with various actions, FE is attractive, especially in Asian countries, for improving the therapeutic efficacy and safety of cancer treatment. The present study was carried out to investigate the anti-tumor properties of FE in human carcinoma cells and further examine the underlying mechanisms of its activities. Methodology/Principal Finding FE inhibits the growth of MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, HeLa, and HT1080 cells. FE-mediated apoptosis in MCF-7 cancer cells is accompanied by DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, and phosphatidylserine exposure. FE induces mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP) through loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and regulation of the expression of Bcl-2 family members. Release of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and cytochrome c precedes MMP. AIF release causes DNA fragmentation, the final stage of apoptosis, via a caspase-independent mitochondrial pathway. Additionally, FE was found to induce phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2, and apoptosis was found to be attenuated by inhibition of JNK. Furthermore, FE-mediated apoptosis was found to involve the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are responsible for the decrease of ΔΨm and phosphorylation of JNK, p38, and ERK1/2 kinases. Conclusions/Significance These data suggest that FE activates a caspase-independent apoptotic pathway in MCF-7 cancer cells through activation of ROS-mediated MAP kinases and regulation of the Bcl-2 family protein-mediated mitochondrial pathway. They also provide evidence that FE deserves further investigation as a natural anticancer and cancer preventive agent.

Antibiotic treatment, as an important therapeutic intervention, can cause damage to the host microbiome and the intestinal mucosal barrier. In order to find a way to alleviate the side effects of antibiotics, the present study investigated the effects of fucoidan (ANP) isolated from Ascophyllum nodosum on gu

Poor pancreatic cancer (PC) prognosis has been attributed to its resistance to apoptosis and propensity for early systemic dissemination. Existing the…

Marine organisms are sources of several natural compounds with potential clinical use. However, only a few marine-based pharmaceuticals have been approved for use due to limited knowledge on their biological activities. Here, we identified the functional role of fucoidan extracted from Fucus vesiculosus on ovarian cancer. Fucoidan increased the death of ES-2 and OV-90 cells, through a reduction in proliferation, cell cycle arrest, releases of cytochrome c, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Additionally, fucoidan increased the concentration of cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium in both cells. The decrease of cell proliferation was controlled by the inactivation of PI3K and MAPK signaling cascades in ES-2 and OV-90 cells. In a toxicity assay with normal zebrafish larvae, fucoidan did not induce toxicity, cardiotoxicity, development, kinesis, and apoptosis at different concentrations. However, it disrupted tumor formation and vascular development in a zebrafish xenograft model and angiogenesis transgenic (Tg, fli1-eGFP) model, respectively. Collectively, the results indicate that fucoidan may be a novel pharmaceutical for the management of human ovarian cancer.

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide present in brown seaweed, has demonstrated anticancer activity in lung, breast, liver and colon cells. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway regulates growth in HT-29 cells through the insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) and Ras/Raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether fucoidan downregulates the IGF-IR signaling pathway in HT-29 human colon cancer cells. Fucoidan treatment (0-1,000 µg/ml) was administered for 24 h in HT-29 cells. First, we investigated IRS-1/PI3K/AKT pathway-related protein expression levels following treatment with fucoidan (0-500 µg/ml) using western blot analysis. Fucoidan significantly inhibited the expression of IGF-IR, PTEN, PI3K and AKT as well as their phosphorylated forms (p-IRS-1, p-PI3K and p-AKT). Next, we investigated the effects of fucoidan on Ras/Raf/ERK pathway‑related protein expression levels in HT-29 cells. Fucoidan significantly inhibited the expression of IGF-IR, Shc, Ras, SOS, Raf and MEK. HT-29 cells were then incubated in the presence of fucoidan (0 or 250 µg/ml), and IGF-I (10 nM) was added for 0 to 60 min. Immunoprecipitation (IP) experiments showed that fucoidan inhibited IGF-I-induced phosphorylation of IGF-IR, PI3K, Shc (IP, IGF-IR), and phosphorylated IRS-1 and PI3K (IP, IRS-1) compared to the control group. Western blot analysis showed that fucoidan inhibited the expression of IGF-I-induced p-IGF-IR/IGF-IR and p-AKT/AKT, but not p-ERK/ERK. In conclusion, the inhibition of cell viability by fucoidan in HT-29 cells may be due to the downregulation of IGF-IR signaling through the main IRS-1/PI3K/AKT pathway. Fucoidan also partially impacted Ras/Raf signaling in the Ras/Raf/ERK pathway. Therefore, we suggest that fucoidan may be a suitable candidate chemopreventive agent in HT-29 colon cancer cells.

https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.10016 Farzaneh Atashrazm, Ray M. Lowenthal, Joanne L. Dickinson, Adele F. Holloway, Gregory M. Woods

Fucoidans have been reported to exert anticancer effects with simultaneous low toxicity against healthy tissue. That correlation was observed in several cancer models, however, it has never been investigated in head and neck cancer before. To magnify the efficacy of conventional therapy, the adminis …

Rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the leading causes of sudden death among the elderly. Most incidental AAAs are below the threshold for intervention at the time of detection; however, there is no evidence that commonly used cardiovascular drugs have clinical beneficial effects on AAA progression. Therefore, in addition to current cardiovascular risk-reducing treatments, an adjunctive medical therapy targeting the regulation of extracellular matrix metabolism is still required in the clinical setting.

Cancer cachexia is characterized by anorexia, skeletal muscle atrophy, and systemic inflammation. Fucoidan extracted from brown algae exhibits anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities. However, whether fucoidan ameliorates tumour and chemotherapy-induced muscle atrophy and -related cachectic symp …

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common global progressive disease, but there are no ideal drugs for the treatment. Fucoidan and fucoxanthin, and L-c…

Neurogenesis, growing new brain cells, is happening in your brain right now, and we can actually enhance this process by making smart lifestyle choices.

Fucoidan, a fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharide with diverse biological functions, is mainly recovered from brown algae. In this study, we utilized a compressional-puffing process (CPP) to pretreat Sargassum crassifolium (SC) and extracted fucoidans from SC by warm water. Three fucoidan extracts (SC1: puffing at 0 kg/cm2; SC2: puffing at 1.7 kg/cm2; and SC3: puffing at 6.3 kg/cm2) were obtained, and their composition, and antioxidant and neuroprotective activities were examined. The results suggest that CPP decreased the bulk density of algal samples, expanded the algal cellular structures, and eliminated the unpleasant algal odor. The extraction yields of fucoidans were increased and impurities of fucoidans were decreased by increasing the pressures used in CPP. The SC1–SC3 extracts displayed various characteristics of fucoidan as illustrated by the analyses of composition, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and molecular weight. All three extracts SC1–SC3 showed antioxidant activity dose-dependently. Although both SC1 and SC2 possessed high and similar neuronal protective properties, SC2 showed a higher extraction yield, higher efficacy in the reversion of H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells, and lower impurities compared with SC1, and thus SC2 is suggested as a good candidate for a therapeutic agent in the preventive treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) affects approximately 1 in 500 children. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most common form of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes and is a significant risk factor for serious pathological change. It is difficult and costly to treat DPN and although there have been sev …