B.C.1000~

According to the results from ruin studies, fossils of natural life forms adhered to seaweed and sea algae were dug up.
It is indicated that Japanese people in the Jomon period and the Yayoi period (BC 1000-AD 300) utilized seaweed and sea algae. (Sources: "The Yuyou Sea Algae Magazine")

Discovery of fucoidan

1913

Prof. Kylin of Uppsala University in Sweden discovered fucoidan.
Thereafter, research was focused on the physical properties of fucoidan.
(Sources: The Science of Sea Algae Fucoidan)

1957

Dr. Springer discovered the anticoagulant function of fucoidan. (Sources: The Science of Sea Algae Fucoidan)

1970s

Articles of research on anticancer activities of extracted materials from sea algae as well as fucoidan started being publicized. (Sources: The Science of Sea Algae Fucoidan)
A reagent of fucoidan from rockweed sea algae produced by Sigma Inc., USA, was sold at $100/gram.
Since then, technology to extract fucoidan from sea algae has improved and the study and research of fucoidan has become more active.

1988

Mr. Baba published a research paper on the antivirus activity of sulfated polysaccharides, including fucoidan. (Sources: The Science of Sea Algae Fucoidan)

1995

Mr. Hirmo of Sweden University published a research paper on sulfated polysaccharides such as fucoidan having inhibition action on growth of Helicobacter pylori bacteria. (Sources: The Science of Sea Algae Fucoidan)

Growing attention toward fucoidan in Japan

1996

Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd., a brewing company, published their research paper on anticancer activity by apoptotic effects of fucoidan at the meeting of the 55th "Japanese Cancer Association".
Outbreak of food poisoning by E. coli O-157, in Japan, and in some other countries.
The joint research by Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. and Shimane University discovered that seasoned mozuku killed E. coli O-157 without producing verotoxin (pathogenic factor which induces bloody diarrhea, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, acute encephalopathy and etc.).

1997

Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. applied for a patent for "Antibacterial composition" regarding antibacterial action of seasoned mozuku against E. coli O-157. (Application No. 10-306065)

1999

Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. discovered that hydrothermally extracted material from mozuku had antibacterial effects against E. coli O-157.
Accordingly, they applied for a patent on "the antibacterial composition" regarding antibacterial action of hydrothermally extracted material.
(Publication No. 2000-344679)
Later the material which had "antibacterial composition" was found to be the same constituent as fucoidan itself.

2000

Takara Bio Inc. published a research paper on anticancer activity of gagome-kelp fucoidan. (Sources: The Japan Food Science of Sep. 2009, by Kato.)Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. R&D Center published a research paper on improvement effects of "unidentified complaint" by fucoidan. (Sources: YAKURI TO CHIRYO (Japanese Pharmacology & Therapeutics) No. 28, 2000, Yamamoto and his group.)
(Unidentified complaint: General symptom not to be able to identify the cause by general medical check-up such as dizziness, sense of fatigue, headache, palpitation and etc.)

2001

Takara Bio Inc. published a research paper on prevention and therapy action against aging skin by gagome-kelp fucoidan. (Sources: The Fragrance Journal, Mar. 2001, by Tsutomu and his group.)
Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. R&D Center published a research paper on anti-inflammatory effects by Okinawa mozuku fucoidan. (Sources: The Fragrance Journal, Dec. 2001, by Sone and his group.)

2002

Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. confirmed that mozuku fucoidan has anticancer activity in experiments using cultivated cells.
In this experiment they discovered that mozuku fucoidan acts to suppress side-effects caused by anticancer agents.
They applied for a patent on "Suppressant of pharmaceutical side-effects".
(Publication No. 2004-75595)
They made a presentation on "Effects of mozuku-derived fucoidan on human stomach cells" at a meeting of the Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology and Agrochemistry, held in Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture.
Takara Bio Inc. published a research paper on the effect of prevention and therapy against aging skin by gagome-kelp fucoidan. (Sources: The Fragrance Journal, June 2002, by Tsutomu and his group.)

2005

Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. R&D Center published a research paper on 10-day intakes of mozuku fucoidan reducing pylori bacteria by half. (Sources: The Saibo, Nov. 2005.)
Takara Bio Inc. published a collaborative research paper with the University of Saskatchewan on low molecular gagome-kelp fucoidan (fucoidan,oligosaccharide) having suppression effects on blood clot. (Sources: The Bioscience News, 2005.)
Riken Vitamin Co., Ltd. published a research paper on the anti-tumor effects, anti-allergic effects and anti-virus effects by mekabu fucoidan. (Sources: The New Food Industry Vol. 47, Sep. 2005, by Iizuka.)
Okinawa Hakko Kagaku Co., Ltd. (now, Kanehide Bio Co., Ltd.) published a research paper on immunity activation action of Okinawa mozuku fucoidan.
(Sources: The Japanese Society of Nutrition and Food Science Magazine Vol. 58, May 2005, by Boku and his group.)

Start of City Area Industry, Academia, Government Cooperation Program (in the areas of Yonago City and Sakaiminato City)

2006

Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. published a research paper on mozuku fucoidan’s suppressing functions on side-effects caused by anticancer drugs.
(Sources: "Food Science and Technology Research" Vol. 12, No 3, 218-222, 2006, by Kawamoto and his group.)

2007

Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. acquired a patent on "Pharmaceutical side-effect suppressant" in discovering that mozuku fucoidan suppresses side-effects caused by anticancer agents. (Patent No. 4034146)

2008

In The City Area Industry, Academia, Government Collaboration Program, Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. and Tottori University Faculty of Medicine jointly discovered that mozuku fucoidan has preventive effects on thrombosis.
They applied a patent on fibrinolysis activator. (Application No. 2008-276791)Also they made a presentation on "Fucoidan inhibits accumulation of lipid droplet of adipose cells and inhibits gene expression of thrombotic factor" at the 31st "Congress of the Japanese Society on Thrombosis and Hemostasis".
In "The City Area Industry, Academia, Government Collaboration Program", Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd., Tottori University Faculty of Industry and Tottori Institute of Industrial Technology invented a technology to produce low-molecular fucoidan from high-polymer fucoidan without separation of the sulfate groups.
They made a presentation on "Lowering the molecular weight of fucoidan by hydrothermal treatment" at a meeting of "The Chemical Society of Japan, Western Japan Session".
Then they applied a patent: "Lowered molecular compound of sulfated polysaccharide which is suppressed separation of sulfate group and production method thereof". (Publication No. 2008-266299)
(Hydrothermal treatment: Treatment to hydrolyze organic substances at temperatures higher than 100℃.)
Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. confirmed that high-polymer fucoidan has intestinal conditioning effects.
They applied a patent: "Agent for ameliorating intestinal environment". Publication No. 2010-18605)

2009

In "The City Area Industry, Academia, Government Collaboration Program", Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. and Tottori University Faculty of Medicine discovered that high-polymer fucoidan has alkalization effects on acidic urine.
They made a presentation on its effects in preventing gout, "The effect in which mozuku and fucoidan extracted from mozuku have on urine pH of hypertension patients" at the 42nd Annual Meeting of "the Japanese Society of Gout and Nucleic Acid Metabolism".
They applied a patent: "Food/Beverage and pharmaceutical composition for oral administration for improvement in acidic urine each comprising fucoidan as active ingredient".
(Publication No. 2008-266291, PCT Publication No. WO 2008/117790)
In "The City Area Industry Academia, Government Collaboration Program", Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. and Tottori University, Faculty of Agriculture, School of Veterinary Medicine discovered that high-polymer fucoidan had stimulating effects on cartilage regeneration of rabbits.
They applied a patent: "Cartilage production promoter and prophylactic or therapeutic agent for diseases associated with cartilage". (Application No. 2009-073856 )
In a joint research with Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. confirmed the safety of long-term and excess ingestion of fucoidan.
They made a presentation on "Influence of long-term and excess ingestion of fucoidan" at the joint meeting of 3 societies 5 branch offices of "The Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology & Agrochemistry", "The Japanese Society of Nutrition &Food Science" and "The Japan Society for Food Science" held in Okinawa, in 2009.
In a joint research of Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. and Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, they confirmed that high-polymer fucoidan suppresses proliferation of human lung cancer cells.
They made a presentation on the "Suppression effects on the proliferation of human lung cancer cells by fucoidan derived from mozuku" at the joint meeting of 3 Societies and 5 branch offices of "The Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology & Agrochemistry", "The Japanese Society of Nutrition & Food Science" and "The Japan Society for Food Science", held in Okinawa, in 2009.
In a joint research with Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. confirmed that fucoidan derived from mozuku suppresses side-effects by anticancer agents against advanced recurrent large intestine cancer.
They made a presentation on the "Usefulness of mozuku-derived fucoidan in order to solve side-effects caused by anticancer-chemotherapy against advanced recurrent colon cancer" at the 71st meeting of "The Japan Surgical Association".
Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. discovered that mozuku fucoidan has reducing effects on alcohol and acetaldehyde concentrations in the blood. They applied a patent: "Reduction agent of Acetaldehyde-Ethanol".
(Application No. 2009-261881)
Marine Products Kimuraya Co., Ltd. and Tottori University Faculty of Medicine discovered that "Fucoidan has preventive effects on thrombosis" and acquired a patent, "Fibrinolysis activator". (Patent No. 4428486)