Marine algae prevention

Marine algae transform arsenate into nonvolatile methylated arsenic compounds such as methanearsonic and dimethylarsinic acids (Tamaki and Frankenberger 1992). Freshwater algae and macrophytes, like marine algae, synthesize lipid-soluble arsenic compounds and do not produce volatile methylarsines. Terrestrial plants preferentially accumulate arsenate over arsenite by a factor of about 4. Phosphate inhibits arsenate uptake by plants, but not the reverse. The mode of toxicity of arsenate in plants is to partially block protein synthesis and interfere with protein phosphorylation — a process that is prevented by phosphate (Tamaki and Frankenberger 1992). 

Several pieces of knowledge support the importance of marine algae as a functional food, defined this as a food that provides a health benefit beyond basic nutrition, that is, that has health-promoting benefits and/or prevent diseases (Barker and Meletis, 2004), by offering health benefits to reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Probably, the best illustration of marine algae as functional foods is the case of wakame, brown seaweed widely consumed by oriental people. 

Collectively, it may assume that marine algae would be a potent natural source for the development of functional foods and pharmaceuticals to prevent osteoporosis. Moreover, it is important to evaluate other marine algae species which may have a great potential as antiosteoporosis agent. 

The potential of the marine algae has been the driving force for the researchers to focus on the benefits of algae (Barros et ah, 2005 Puglisi et ah, 2004). The prevention of gastric cancer therefore represents one of the most important aspects of any cancer control strategy in around the world. Hence, radical scavenging compounds such as polysaccharides from seaweeds can be used indirectly to reduce cancer formation in human body. 

Aslam et al. (2010) investigated whether a mineral-rich extract from the red marine algae Lithothamnion calcareum could be used as a dietary supplement for prevention of bone mineral loss. Their experiments showed that the mice receiving the mineral-rich supplement in the high-fat Western-style diet had better bone structure/function than the mice on the low-fat chow diet. The algae extract is already available as a food supplement imder the name Aquamin (GRAS 000028), which is currently used in various products of human consumption in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. 

Sargassum fusiforme has recently been shown to have antiosteoporosis activity. This extract suppressed both osteoclast differentiation and accelerated osteoblast formation in separate in vitro experiments. It also showed antiosteoporosis activity in ovariecto-mized mice by regulating the balance between bone resorption and bone formation. These marine algae and their extracts may be sources of marine medicinal foods for the prevention of osteoporosis. 

Extracts and purified compounds from various marine algae have been reported to suppress osteoclast differentiation. Further studies to elucidate the detailed mechanisms and the responsible components may hopefully show that these marine algae are a potential source of marine medicinal foods to prevent osteoporosis and related diseases. 

Gerwick, W.H. (1997) Antimutagenic, antiinflammatory, and potential anticancer substances from marine algae, in Food Factors for Cancer Prevention (ed. H. Ohigashi), Springer, Berlin, New York, pp. 342-347. 

Tanaka, Y. and Stara, J.F. (1979) Algal polysaccharides their potential use to prevent chronic metal poisoning, in Marine Algae in Pharmaceutical Science (eds H.A. Hoppe, T. Levring, and Y. Tanaka), Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York, pp. 525-543. 

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