Advances in Studies on the Pharmacological Activities of Fucoxanthin

Abstract

Fucoxanthin is a natural carotenoid derived mostly from many species of marine brown algae. It is characterized by small molecular weight, is chemically active, can be easily oxidized, and has diverse biological activities, thus protecting cell components from ROS. Fucoxanthin inhibits the proliferation of a variety of cancer cells, promotes weight loss, acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, interacts with the intestinal flora to protect intestinal health, prevents organ fibrosis, and exerts a multitude of other beneficial effects. Thus, fucoxanthin has a wide range of applications and broad prospects. This review focuses primarily on the latest progress in research on its pharmacological activity and underlying mechanisms.

Production of Fucoxanthin from Phaeodactylum tricornutum Using High Performance Countercurrent Chromatography Retaining Its FOXO3 Nuclear Translocation-Inducing Effect

“…Fucoxanthin has been earlier described to induce FOXO3 nuclear translocation resulting in the reduction of oxidative stress and fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy [ 21 , 22 ]. A way to validate the viability of the developed multiple-sequential injection method using HPCCC for obtaining fucoxanthin is to check that the isolated compound retains its bioactivity.…”

“…A way to validate the viability of the developed multiple-sequential injection method using HPCCC for obtaining fucoxanthin is to check that the isolated compound retains its bioactivity. For these purposes, we tested the ability of the isolated fucoxanthin to act as an inductor of nuclear translocation of the transcription factor FOXO3, as already described [ 21 , 22 ]. In this bioassay, a well-described method based on the translocation of FOXO3 in the human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS [ 62 , 63 , 64 ] was used.…”

“…Its benefits include anti-obesity [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ], anti-diabetic [ 8 ], anti-inflammatory [ 9 , 10 , 11 ], anti-cancer [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ] and antioxidant [ 3 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ] effects. Moreover, fucoxanthin has been previously described to induce nuclear translocation of the transcription factor FOXO3, which inhibits the fibronectin and collagen IV expression as well as oxidative stress, resulting in the reduction of fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy [ 21 , 22 ]. Commercial products containing brown algae-sourced fucoxanthin which are mainly used for weight and fat control include Solaray Fucoxanthin from SolarayVR, fucoTHIN from Garden of Life [ 23 ] and ThinOgen Fucoxanthin from BGG [ 24 ].…”

Microfluidic spinning of fucoxanthin-loaded nanofibers for enhancing antioxidation and clarification of fruit juice

“…Browning of natural products is initiated by the enzymatic oxidation of phenols to coloured quinones, which then undergo further reactions leading to pigment formation. 5,6 Therefore, proper control of the amount of clarifying agent used in the processing and storage of fruit juice to prevent browning reaction has attracted much attention in the food industry.…”

“…Fx, as a main natural xanthophyll caroten-oid, is mostly extracted from marine macroalgae and microalgae and has a high proportion of natural carotenoids more than 10%. 5,6 Fx has capability of anti-browning due to its unique structure with unusual allenic bond and certain functional groups. Besides antioxidant activity, Fx also has a wide variety of other beneficial activities attributed, such as antiinflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and other biological activities, therefore it has attracted attention over the past few decades.…”