The biological activity
of Fucoidan Numerous accounts have ascribed
to Fucoidan properties such as the ability to act
as an anti-contraceptive, to reduce cholesterol levels,
and to act as an anti-tumor agent. However, a definitive
consensus concerning the precise nature of Fucoidan
has still not been reached.
The Biomedical Research
Laboratories of Takara Shuzo and the Research Institute
for Glycotechnology Advancement have focused their
attention on the anti-tumor properties of Fucoidan,
and have managed to confirm that this substance causes
certain types of rapidly growing cancer cells to self-destruct.
Examples of cancer cell strains where
this self-destruct phenomenon was observed include
human acute promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60 cell
line), human stomach cancer cells (AGS cell line),
human colon cancer cells (HCT-116 cell line), and
cancer cells of the descending colon (SW-480 cell
line/WiDr cell line). Moreover, this self-destruction
was observed to take place without affecting normal
cells. Currently, efforts are underway to clarify
the precise mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs.
Some of the reasons which have until
recently prevented the formation of a definitive scientific
consensus concerning the precise nature of Fucoidan
include the fact that it possesses an extremely complex
structure, as well as the difficulty of obtaining
pure samples of Fucoidan.
The mechanism through which cancer
cells self-destruct In the presence of certain substances,
as well as under other unusual environmental conditions,
cells may self-destruct and disappear altogether.
This self-destruct phenomenon is known as apoptosis.
It should be distinguished from necrosis, which is
the death of cells directly brought about by external
stimuli such as poisonous substances or physical damage
to the cell.
Properly speaking, apoptosis is brought
about by a mechanism that is programmed into the natural
makeup of cells. Organisms activate this mechanism
when necessary. Once the apoptosis mechanism has been
triggered, the genetic blueprint of the cell (DNA)
is rendered useless, through activation of the deoxyribonuclease
found within the cell itself. Apoptosis thus can be
described as a natural means through which living
organisms manage to eliminate harmful cells from their
systems.