108
5 Fucoidan
2012). These various reports indicate that fucoidan has robust structural compatibility
to form functional composites with other polymers and non-polymers.
5.7.2 Anticancer Therapies
Studies of coculture cells and animals have confirmed fucoidan has some anticancer
properties. The key issues requiring further investigation include sufficient bioavailability to deliver the potential anticancer effect at physiologically relevant rate and
reproducibility of the anticancer effect in different fucoidan extracts across different
species. Fucoidan from Sargassum muticum with molecular weights ranging from 5
to 100 kDa showed a range of anticancer properties. While fractions with molecular
weight above 100 kDa containing the highest level of sulfates and phenolics showed
the highest antiradical activity, the fraction with molecular weight in the range 10–
30 kDa had the highest cytotoxic effect on cervical cancer cells (Alvarez-Vinas et al.
2019). Fucoidans from different sources can therefore be used as a multiple mechanisms for cancer therapies since different fractions from the same source show
different forms of antitumoral activities.
The use of fucoidan in treatment of cancer is so far focusing on orally delivered
fucoidan as an adjunct either to enhance the effectiveness of conventional cancer
therapies, prevent side effects or to act as an alternative medication for cancers where
no known medications exist (Fitton et al. 2015a, b). It is hypothesized that fucoidan
takes multiple routes to act against cancer; this includes prevention of blood vessel
formation by cancer cells (angiogenesis), prevention of metastasis (spread of cancer
cells beyond the point of origin), boosting the body’s immune response to cancer
cells, making cancer cells more vulnerable, antioxidant activity and interfering with
the cancer cell metabolism pathways (Kwak 2014). For example, some study has
found that cancer cell apoptosis could be induced in breast cancer and colon cancer
using fucoidan. The mechanism through which fucoidan achieved this is thought to
be through modulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress cascades (Chen et al. 2014).
Fucoidan ingested orally can have some anticancer effect within the gastrointestinal tract before absorption into the bloodstream and before reaching the stomach enzyme, while much of the fucoidan remains intact. This could be in different
preparations such as food supplements or processed foods with fucoidan added as a
functional food ingredient. This would, however, be use of fucoidan as a preventive
approach to cancer through its many pathways such as prevention of blood vessel
formation and mobilization of the body’s immune cells, thus preventing the formation of cancerous cells in the first place. There are already some natural products
which are used in this manner (Esmaeelian et al. 2014).
Fucoidan can be used to minimize or prevent the side effects attached to cancer
therapy such as chemotherapy. A study which showed this used low molecular weight
fucoidan extracted from Acaudina molpadioides, a sea cucumber. When administered
to mice with cyclophosphamide-induced intestinal mucositis, these mice showed
restored levels of immunoglobulin A in the mucosa and moderated cytokine levels.
5 Fucoidan
2012). These various reports indicate that fucoidan has robust structural compatibility
to form functional composites with other polymers and non-polymers.
5.7.2 Anticancer Therapies
Studies of coculture cells and animals have confirmed fucoidan has some anticancer
properties. The key issues requiring further investigation include sufficient bioavailability to deliver the potential anticancer effect at physiologically relevant rate and
reproducibility of the anticancer effect in different fucoidan extracts across different
species. Fucoidan from Sargassum muticum with molecular weights ranging from 5
to 100 kDa showed a range of anticancer properties. While fractions with molecular
weight above 100 kDa containing the highest level of sulfates and phenolics showed
the highest antiradical activity, the fraction with molecular weight in the range 10–
30 kDa had the highest cytotoxic effect on cervical cancer cells (Alvarez-Vinas et al.
2019). Fucoidans from different sources can therefore be used as a multiple mechanisms for cancer therapies since different fractions from the same source show
different forms of antitumoral activities.
The use of fucoidan in treatment of cancer is so far focusing on orally delivered
fucoidan as an adjunct either to enhance the effectiveness of conventional cancer
therapies, prevent side effects or to act as an alternative medication for cancers where
no known medications exist (Fitton et al. 2015a, b). It is hypothesized that fucoidan
takes multiple routes to act against cancer; this includes prevention of blood vessel
formation by cancer cells (angiogenesis), prevention of metastasis (spread of cancer
cells beyond the point of origin), boosting the body’s immune response to cancer
cells, making cancer cells more vulnerable, antioxidant activity and interfering with
the cancer cell metabolism pathways (Kwak 2014). For example, some study has
found that cancer cell apoptosis could be induced in breast cancer and colon cancer
using fucoidan. The mechanism through which fucoidan achieved this is thought to
be through modulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress cascades (Chen et al. 2014).
Fucoidan ingested orally can have some anticancer effect within the gastrointestinal tract before absorption into the bloodstream and before reaching the stomach enzyme, while much of the fucoidan remains intact. This could be in different
preparations such as food supplements or processed foods with fucoidan added as a
functional food ingredient. This would, however, be use of fucoidan as a preventive
approach to cancer through its many pathways such as prevention of blood vessel
formation and mobilization of the body’s immune cells, thus preventing the formation of cancerous cells in the first place. There are already some natural products
which are used in this manner (Esmaeelian et al. 2014).
Fucoidan can be used to minimize or prevent the side effects attached to cancer
therapy such as chemotherapy. A study which showed this used low molecular weight
fucoidan extracted from Acaudina molpadioides, a sea cucumber. When administered
to mice with cyclophosphamide-induced intestinal mucositis, these mice showed
restored levels of immunoglobulin A in the mucosa and moderated cytokine levels.