9.7 Applications
205
9.7.3 Anticancer Activity
There have been several studies which investigate the anticancer effect of laminarin
and the evidences presented show that laminarin has promising use as a functional
food with anticancer properties. Cancer prevention and treatment occur by many
routes; anticancer drugs and compounds can act by either inducing cell death or
enhancing the body’s own defense against the cancer cells. The anticancer and antitumor bioactivities of laminarin have been demonstrated in human melanoma cells,
colon cancer cells and adenocarcinoma cells of rats among others. For example,
apoptosis (programmed cell death) of LoVo human metastatic colon cells has been
activated by laminarin, and laminarin hydrolysates have shown ability to inhibit
growth of some human melanoma and colon cancer cells (Ji and Ji 2014). In other
studies, laminarin has been shown to prevent the spreading of cancer cells beyond
the point of origin to other tissue (metastasis) by inhibiting the cancer cells’ ability
to disrupt the extracellular matrix, hence preventing invasion (Deville et al. 2004). It
should be noted that the studies mentioned here and much of the existing studies on
the anticancer effects of laminarin have only been carried out at the cellular level and
on laboratory rats. The findings point to some potential of laminarin as a functional
dietary fiber which the intake could yield these anticancer effect. This is a long way
from drug development where the route by which the active compound gets to the
cell in a more complex organism, such as mammals and humans, introduces several
challenges.
9.7.4 Immunomodulatory Effect
Disease resistance is important in animal farming. Spreading of disease could result
in devastating financial loss of livestock and could also reduce the growth rate and
hence the yield of the animal. Low-cost disease management through boosting the
immunity of animals is an effective means of disease management and prevention.
Laminarin has a low molecular weight glucan that has been reported to have immunemodulatory effect in grouper fish (Yin et al. 2014). Laminarin immunological effect
is also dose-dependent; fish fed with a concentration of laminarin of 0.5, 1 and
1.5% over a period of 48 days. Fish fed with a diet-containing laminarin showed an
increased specific growth rate, and they were able to more effectively utilize nutrients.
Furthermore, an increase in the number of immune response cells were observed in
fish fed with laminarin compared to those with laminarin-free diets. Boosting immune
response in fish through the nutrient present in the feed adds economic value to the
fish feed and also presents the fish farmer with lower risk of fish developing diseases
and improved yield.
Laminarin has been explored extensively for its effect on the growth and development of pigs at different developmental stages, from development of young piglets
205
9.7.3 Anticancer Activity
There have been several studies which investigate the anticancer effect of laminarin
and the evidences presented show that laminarin has promising use as a functional
food with anticancer properties. Cancer prevention and treatment occur by many
routes; anticancer drugs and compounds can act by either inducing cell death or
enhancing the body’s own defense against the cancer cells. The anticancer and antitumor bioactivities of laminarin have been demonstrated in human melanoma cells,
colon cancer cells and adenocarcinoma cells of rats among others. For example,
apoptosis (programmed cell death) of LoVo human metastatic colon cells has been
activated by laminarin, and laminarin hydrolysates have shown ability to inhibit
growth of some human melanoma and colon cancer cells (Ji and Ji 2014). In other
studies, laminarin has been shown to prevent the spreading of cancer cells beyond
the point of origin to other tissue (metastasis) by inhibiting the cancer cells’ ability
to disrupt the extracellular matrix, hence preventing invasion (Deville et al. 2004). It
should be noted that the studies mentioned here and much of the existing studies on
the anticancer effects of laminarin have only been carried out at the cellular level and
on laboratory rats. The findings point to some potential of laminarin as a functional
dietary fiber which the intake could yield these anticancer effect. This is a long way
from drug development where the route by which the active compound gets to the
cell in a more complex organism, such as mammals and humans, introduces several
challenges.
9.7.4 Immunomodulatory Effect
Disease resistance is important in animal farming. Spreading of disease could result
in devastating financial loss of livestock and could also reduce the growth rate and
hence the yield of the animal. Low-cost disease management through boosting the
immunity of animals is an effective means of disease management and prevention.
Laminarin has a low molecular weight glucan that has been reported to have immunemodulatory effect in grouper fish (Yin et al. 2014). Laminarin immunological effect
is also dose-dependent; fish fed with a concentration of laminarin of 0.5, 1 and
1.5% over a period of 48 days. Fish fed with a diet-containing laminarin showed an
increased specific growth rate, and they were able to more effectively utilize nutrients.
Furthermore, an increase in the number of immune response cells were observed in
fish fed with laminarin compared to those with laminarin-free diets. Boosting immune
response in fish through the nutrient present in the feed adds economic value to the
fish feed and also presents the fish farmer with lower risk of fish developing diseases
and improved yield.
Laminarin has been explored extensively for its effect on the growth and development of pigs at different developmental stages, from development of young piglets