Research achievements on anticancer effects and the reduction of side-effects related to anticancer drugs
Research achievements on prevention of lifestyle-related diseases and reduction of disease risks
Research achievements to live a comfortable life
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In July 2010, at the 24th "Chitin, Chitosan Symposium" held in Tokyo, a research team of Tottori University Faculty of Agriculture Veterinary Department released a study on antitumor effects by oral administration in animal tests.1)
The following is a summary of the study:
Validation of antitumor effects by oral administration of fucoidan in mice
Much research has been conducted on the antitumor effects of fucoidan in vitro [1], and in vivo [2], such as local administration to abdominal cavity [3] or to veins or to tumor tissues.
It is the fact that a few research studies have been conducted on the antitumor effects by oral administration.
Then we carried out joint research, with Tottori University Faculty of Medicine Dept. of Veterinary, by oral administration of fucoidan to cancer bearing mice [4], and verified the influence on tumor growth, immune cells, production of cytokine [5], and the survival times of cancer bearing mice.
We transplanted a cultured tumor tissue derived from colon cancer to mice, which were fed with the addition of 5 % fucoidan for four weeks.
We also, continued to orally administer the 5 % fucoidan feed.
Two weeks after we transplanted, we measured the weight of the tumor and observed tumor tissues histologically.
In the group that was orally administered feed with fucoidan, both the tumor growth rates and tumor weights were suppressed, being compared with the group that was given the normal feed without fucoidan.
We also orally administered fucoidan to mice for 10 weeks and obtained blood and spleen samples.
We measured cytokine density from the blood serum, and immune cell ratio from spleen cells.
In the group that was orally administered fucoidan, cytokine density (IL-2) [6] increased.
In the analysis of spleen cells, it was confirmed that the ratio of NK-cell [7] increased and the positive rate CD4 [8] decreased.
Life-extending effects seen in the experiments on mice
Further we continued to orally administer 5 % fucoidan added feed to cancer bearing mice and checked survival times.
The group that was fed fucoidan prolonged survival times about 2 times longer than the group that was not fed fucoidan. (Fig)
In the experiment demonstrated it was clarified that fucoidan showed antitumor effects. 2)
This is suggested to be due to the combination of cell division suppression, apoptosis [9] induction effect, and activation of the immune system.
By oral administration of fucoidan, it was shown that cancer bearing mice prolonged their survival times.
[Sources] 1) Antitumor effect by oral administration of fucoidan. Research on Chitin, Chitosan by Mr. Yoshiharu Okamoto 16(2),150-151 (2010).
2) Fucoidan which has antitumor activity, Patent Publication WO 2010/110223 (2010).
- Glossary
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[1]in vitro/Artificially constituting experimental environment like experiment in the test tube. Depending of each field though, "experiment of culture cell in vessel" meets its definition.
[2]in vivo/It means to "within an organism", contrasts with "in vitro".Contrasting with culture cell, it means to animal tests.
[3]Abdominal cavity/The space where such organs fit in the lower part of the diaphragm as stomach and intestines.
[4]Cancer bearing/It means "having cancer in the body".
[5]Cytokine/Protein which is secreted from the immune system. It holds a roll to deliver information to the specific cells.
There are many species, and some are related to inflammation and proliferation of cells.[6]IL-2/Abbreviation of Interleukin-2.
One of the Cytokines.
It activates cells which remove foreign materials and cells which make antibody.[7]NK cell/A kind of lymphocytes. It has a roll to attack especially tumor cells and cells infected by virus.
[8]CD4/One of the white blood cells. It has a function to destroy infected cells by virus at lymphocytes and to destroy cancer cells.
This cell attacks foreign materials and unnecessary cells by immune activity.[9]Apoptosis/It means programmed-in death of cell namely "managed and adjusted suicide of cells" in order to keep good situation of an Individual.
