Fucoidan

Objective To investigate the protective effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of Laminaria japonica polysaccharides (LPs) against cataract. Methods An integrated strategy combining transcriptomic analysis, network pharmacology, machine learning, molecular docking, and in vivo validation was employed. Differentially expressed genes were identified from the GSE213546 dataset, and key targets were screened using WGCNA, protein–protein interaction analysis, and machine learning algorithms. Molecular docking was performed to evaluate interactions between major LPs components and core targets. A UVB-induced cataract model was established in 8-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats to validate the protective effects of laminarin by assessing lens opacity, antioxidant activity, and apoptosis-related markers. Results XDH, ANPEP, and SNCA were identified as key targets associated with cataract and LPs intervention. Major LPs components, including Laminarin, Fucoidan, and Alginate, showed stable binding affinities with these targets. In vivo experiments demonstrated that Laminarin treatment significantly reduced lens opacity, increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, upregulated SMP30 and FoxO4 expression, and modulated apoptosis-related markers by decreasing Bax and cleaved Caspase-3 while increasing Bcl-2 levels. Conclusions These findings suggest that LPs may attenuate UVB-induced cataract by targeting XDH, ANPEP, and SNCA. In vivo evidence further indicates that this intervention enhances antioxidant defenses, as reflected by increased SOD activity and upregulation of SMP30 and FoxO4, while suppressing apoptosis, thereby contributing to protection against lens damage.

Saccharina japonica (formerly known as Laminaria japonica) is a valuable marine resource with a triple significance: it serves not only as a food sour…

The microbiota–gut–organ axis is widely recognized as a pivotal mediator of systemic health, primarily through gut-derived immune, metabolic, and inflammatory signaling. Fucoidans, a class of fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides predominantly composed of L-fucose and exclusively found in brown seaweeds, have been demonstrated to modulate gut microbiota composition and function, resulting in the enrichment of beneficial bacteria and the suppression of harmful species. They enhance the production of beneficial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids and specific bile acids, while suppressing harmful metabolites, including lipopolysaccharide, thereby ameliorating organ damage via key mechanisms such as the mitigation of oxidative stress and inhibition of inflammatory responses. Furthermore, fucoidan supplementation was found to restore intestinal barrier integrity. Using disease models including Parkinson’s disease, alcoholic liver disease, diabetic kidney disease, and obesity, the mechanisms through which fucoidans ameliorate extraintestinal diseases via the microbiota–gut–organ axis were elucidated. Microbiota-dependent mechanisms have been confirmed via experimental approaches such as fecal microbiota transplantation and specific bacterial strain supplementation. Fucoidans represent promising prebiotic agents for the restoration of microbial ecology and the treatment of extraintestinal diseases, highlighting the need for further clinical investigation.

Scientific Reports - Protective role of fucoidan against cognitive deficits and redox imbalance in a scopolamine-induced Alzheimer’s disease model in rats

Scientific Reports - Investigating fucoidan blend supplementation and resistance training in humans: a parallel randomized controlled trial design

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers, resulting in numerous deaths worldwide. It is classified into small-cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. The non-small cell lung cancer accounts for approximately 80% of all cases. Current chemotherapeutic treatments, often limited by severe side effects and toxicity to healthy tissues, underscore the need for more effective and better-tolerated therapies. Natural compounds, such as fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown algae, offer a promising avenue for developing such treatments due to their ability to eliminate tumor cells, delay tumor growth, and improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs. Furthermore, fucoidan has received much attention in cancer therapy owing to its various advantages, including its abundance in natural sources, unique structural features of sulfate groups capable of interacting with receptors involved in cancer suppression, and its ability to modulate multiple cancer pathways. This review provides an overview of key factors contributing to lung cancer development, introduces the chemical structure and classification of fucoidans, and comprehensively examines their antilung cancer mechanisms, including apoptosis induction, proliferation inhibition, metastatic suppression, and immune modulation at the cellular level. Drug discovery and preclinical studies evaluating fucoidan in lung cancer therapy are summarized and discussed. Finally, current challenges and future research directions for fucoidan-based drug design are addressed, focusing on the steps necessary to translate promising preclinical findings into clinical applications.

Postprandial hyperglycemia remains a critical driver of diabetes progression. Fucoidan, a marine-derived sulfated polysaccharide with broad bioactivit…

Sarcopenia, characterized by age-related loss of muscle mass and function, presents a growing public health concern in aging populations. While resist…

This review explores the pharmacological potential of chondroitin sulfate and fucoidan as immunomodulatory agents targeting N-acetylgalactosaminidase (nagalase) to normalize immune responses. Nagalase, an enzyme produced by tumor and virus-infected cells, contributes to immune suppression by deactivating macrophage-activating factor. Both chondroitin sulfate and fucoidan, as representatives of glycosaminoglycans and heteropolysaccharides, exhibit significant potential in inhibiting nagalase activity, thereby restoring immune functionality. Chondroitin sulfate, a key component of the extracellular matrix, demonstrates anti-inflammatory and tissue-regenerative properties by modulating nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathways and cytokine expression. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed, enhances immune responses through macrophage and natural killer cell activation, while also exhibiting antiviral and anticancer activities. This dual action positions these compounds as promising agents for therapeutic interventions in chronic inflammatory conditions, cancer, and infectious diseases. The synergistic effects of chondroitin sulfate and fucoidan highlight their potential to address the root causes of immune dysregulation. This review aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action and explore the clinical applications of these compounds within the framework of innovative immunotherapeutic strategies. However, current evidence is limited by the predominance of preclinical studies and variability in experimental models. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to validate their efficacy for therapeutic use.

This review explores the pharmacological potential of chondroitin sulfate and fucoidan as immunomodulatory agents targeting N-acetylgalactosaminidase (nagalase) to normalize immune responses. Nagalase, an enzyme produced by tumor and virus-infected cells, contributes to immune suppression by deactivating macrophage-activating factor. Both chondroitin sulfate and fucoidan, as representatives of glycosaminoglycans and heteropolysaccharides, exhibit significant potential in inhibiting nagalase activity, thereby restoring immune functionality. Chondroitin sulfate, a key component of the extracellular matrix, demonstrates anti-inflammatory and tissue-regenerative properties by modulating nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathways and cytokine expression. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed, enhances immune responses through macrophage and natural killer cell activation, while also exhibiting antiviral and anticancer activities. This dual action positions these compounds as promising agents for therapeutic interventions in chronic inflammatory conditions, cancer, and infectious diseases. The synergistic effects of chondroitin sulfate and fucoidan highlight their potential to address the root causes of immune dysregulation. This review aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action and explore the clinical applications of these compounds within the framework of innovative immunotherapeutic strategies. However, current evidence is limited by the predominance of preclinical studies and variability in experimental models. Well-designed clinical trials are needed to validate their efficacy for therapeutic use.

This study aimed to elucidate the anticancer mechanism of Fucoidan (FCD) in Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P)-induced lung cancer, especially its effect on club …

This study clarified the structure and digestive properties of the Laminaria japonica polysaccharide (LJP). It was demonstrated that LJP belongs to a heteropolysaccharide composed of mannuronic acid, fucose, galactose, glucuronic acid, mannose, xylose, glucose, and guluronic acid in the proportion of 34.56%: 30.55%: 10.63%: 7.52%: 6.66%: 3.74%: 3.62%: 2.72%, with a backbone chain composed of →4)-β-d-ManA-(1→, →3)-α-l-Fucp-(1→, →4)-α-GulA-(1→, →3,4)-α-GlcA-(1→, and →4)-β-d-GlcA-(1→. In vivo fluorescence imaging indicated that LJP was mainly distributed in the stomach and intestinal segments of mice, and the fluorescence signal gradually disappeared after 12 h of digestion. In addition, LJP had no effect on the phenotype and general health of mice while promoting the proliferation of the beneficial bacteria Rikenella, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group. Notably, 100 mg/kg LJP significantly increased the levels of acetic and butyric acid in the mice feces, which were 1.51 and 2.65 folds higher than the controls, respectively. Our study illuminated the absorption and distribution mechanism of LJP, providing a scientific reference for revealing LJP as a potential prebiotic.

Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPF), a sulphated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed, has attracted increasing scientific interest for its wide-ranging anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Previous studies have demonstrated that UPF exerts significant anti-inflammatory effects through the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inhibition of key signalling pathways such as NF-κB and MAPKs, suppression of oxidative stress, and modulation of immune mediators and gut microbiota. In parallel, emerging evidence highlights UPF's neuroprotective potential, characterised by reduced neuroinflammation, oxidative damage, and amyloid-beta accumulation, alongside enhanced antioxidant defence and neuronal function. Current investigations reinforce these findings, suggesting that UPF may serve as a valuable adjunct in managing inflammation-related disorders and neurodegenerative conditions. This review summarises the current knowledge on UPF’s mechanisms of action, with a particular focus on its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective pathways and implications for brain health, while also identifying gaps for future research and clinical translation.

Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPF), a bioactive sulphated polysaccharide, is widely recognised for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, anticoagulant, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties. However, the precise mechanisms by which UPF ...

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide, demonstrates many biological activities. It has found extensive applications across medicine, food, cosmetics, an…

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, with increasing incidence and prevalence.Currently, no effective tre…

Low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF), a depolymerized form, is known to possess superior bioactivities compared to its high molecular weight counterpa…

This study investigates the anti-lung cancer activities of polysaccharides extracted from Laminaria japonica, focusing on their bioactive components a…

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory bowel disease driven by gut dysbiosis, immune dysregulation, and oxidative stress, lacks universally effectiv...

Fucoidans have demonstrated a wide range of bioactivities including immune modulation and benefits in gut health. To gain a deeper understanding on the effects of fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida (UPF) on the colonic microbiome, the short-term Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem®, a validated in vitro gut model, was applied. Following a three-week intervention period on adult faecal samples from three healthy donors, microbial community activity of the colonic microbiota was assessed by quantifying short-chain fatty acids while composition was analysed utilising 16S-targeted Illumina sequencing. Metagenomic data were used to describe changes in community structure. To assess the secretion of cytokines, co-culture experiments using Caco-2 and THP1-Blue™ cells were performed. UPF supplementation over a three-week period had a profound butyrogenic effect while also enriching colonic microbial diversity, consistently stimulating saccharolytic genera, and reducing genera linked with potentially negative health effects in both regions of the colon. Mild immune modulatory effects of UPF were also observed. Colonic fermentation of UPF showed anti-inflammatory properties by inducing the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 in two out of three donors in the proximal and distal colon. In conclusion, UPF supplementation may provide significant gut health benefits.

Laminaria japonica (L. japonica), a widely cultivated marine macroalga, has gained substantial attention in human nutrition due to its rich compositio…

Fucoidan is a fucose-rich sulfated polysaccharide that has gained attention owing to its various biological activities. In this study, fucoidan was isolated from Saccharina japonica using an enzyme-assisted method, and its antioxidant and anti-hepatocarcinoma effects were evaluated. The fucoidan was a 112.8 kDa polysaccharide comprising seven monosaccharides: fucose, xylose, glucuronic acid, rhamnose, glucose, mannose, and galactose. The main chain residues were (1 → 3)-α-L-Fucp and (1 → 4)-α-L-Fucp units with sulfate groups at the C-2/C-4 positions of the (1 → 3)-α-L-Fucp residues. S. japonica fucoidans showed excellent antioxidant potency with values of 1.02 mg TE/g and 5.39 mg TE/g for the ABTS and FRAP assays, respectively. Additionally, they exerted antitumor efficacy and low systemic toxicity in H22 tumor-bearing mice, with a tumor inhibition rate of 42.93%. Furthermore, it significantly inhibited tumor angiogenesis and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines levels (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α). Our results suggest that fucoidan isolated from S. japonica possesses potent antioxidant and anticancer properties and may be used as a potential agent for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Fucoidan, a water-soluble polysaccharide derived from marine organisms, has garnered significant attention for its ability to regulate gut microbiota …