Antioxidative Activity of Fucoidan

Food and oxygen are essential for human survival. While oxygen is stably supplied underground, within living organisms—such as ourselves—it can be converted into reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide, peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and other oxygen radicals.
These are generated due to factors like stress, lifestyle habits, environmental pollutants, and other causes. These reactive oxygen species can damage various components of the body and are considered contributors to aging, cancer, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and numerous other health conditions.

To combat the harmful effects of these radicals, the human body has built-in antioxidant defense mechanisms. For example, it produces antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and peroxidase, which neutralize reactive oxygen species.
In addition to these internal defenses, dietary antioxidants—including vitamin E, polyphenols, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C)—also help neutralize oxygen radicals and protect the body from oxidative damage.

This illustrates the complex relationship between health, food, and oxygen, with natural antioxidants derived from food playing a critical role. In our study, we investigated the antioxidative activity of Fucoidan using DPPH radicals and hydroxyl radicals generated by the Fenton reaction (an oxidation-reduction reaction involving iron).
The results showed that Fucoidan exhibited concentration-dependent scavenging activity, confirming its antioxidative effect.

Furthermore, the findings suggest that Fucoidan may contain polyphenolic compounds—similar to those found in tea, herbs, and red wine—which may account for its antioxidative properties. These results offer promising indications that the antioxidative action of Fucoidan could contribute to the prevention or alleviation of aging, cancer, and other oxidative stress-related diseases.

Radical elimination activity of Fucoidan measured by the hyaluronic acid method

Radical elimination activity of Fucoidan measured by the DPPH method

Radical elimination activity of Fucoidan measured by the deoxyribose method

Total polyphenol content in Fucoidan

(Joint research with Kagoshima University, Faculty of Agriculture)

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We are conducting research on fucoidan, whose various physiological functions have been elucidated, including 'anti-tumor,' 'cholesterol-lowering,' 'blood pressure-lowering,' and 'anti-virus' effects.