Chlorella Accelerates Dioxin Excretion in Rats

Abstract

We investigated the effects of Chlorella on fecal excretion of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) congeners and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners in Wistar rats administered the rice oil that caused Yusho disease, as a substitute for purified dioxin. The rats were fed 4 g of a control diet or a 10% Chlorella diet containing 0.2 mL of the rice oil once during the 5-d experimental period. The amounts of PCDD and PCDF congeners excreted in feces from d 1 to 5 in the group fed 10% Chlorella were 0.2-11.3 and 0.3-12.8 times greater (P < 0.05), respectively, than those of the control group. We then investigated the fecal excretion of PCDD and PCDF congeners from d 8 to 35 in rats administered 0.5 mL of the rice oil. Rats consumed the basal diet for 1 wk. After 1 wk, they consumed either the basal diet or the 10% Chorella diet. The fecal excretions of PCDD and PCDF congeners in the group fed 10% Chlorella were 0.3-3.4 and 0.5-2.5 times greater (most, P < 0.05), respectively, than those of the control group. Thus, the fecal excretions of PCDD and PCDF congeners were greater in rats fed Chlorella. These findings suggest that the administration of Chlorella may be useful in preventing gastrointestinal absorption and for promoting the excretion of dioxin already absorbed into tissues. Moreover, these findings suggest that Chlorella might be useful in the treatment of humans exposed to dioxin.

Effects of Chlorella Supplementation on Decreasing Concentrations of Dioxins in the Blood of Pregnant Japanese Women

“…The findings showed the effectiveness of daily intake of Chlorella from gestational week [16][17][18][19][20] until the day of delivery for lowering of maternal blood dioxin levels. As mentioned above, adverse health consequences from prenatal, perinatal and postnatal exposure to background levels of dioxins, including PCDDs and PCDFs, have been reported [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

“…At the beginning of the study (gestational week [16][17][18][19][20], maternal blood samples (30 ml) were collected from each of the 20 participants, and concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs were determined and expressed as the original concentrations. On the day of delivery, maternal blood samples (30 ml) were again drawn from the 20 participants and analyzed for PCDDs and PCDFs; these concentrations were expressed as the levels at delivery.…”

“…Increasing dietary chlorophyll prepared from Chlorella 0.01 to 0.5% has been shown to inhibit dioxin absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, accelerate both PCDD and PCDF excretion, and significantly and efficiently decrease the body burden from 3.5-50% in rats [17]. Indeed, administration of 10% Chlorella in the diet of an experimental vs. a control group of rats was found to inhibit the absorption and reabsorption of dioxins from the digestive tract, increasing faecal excretion 1.3-4.4 times [18]. Therefore, Chlorella is considered an effective food source for the purpose of eliminating dioxins.…”

“…Biorinck tablets have been manufactured since 2008 by the Chlorella Industry Co., Ltd., and are ingested by more than 100,000 people as a health food. The same company prepared the Chlorophyll and Chlorella employed in the animal experiments described above [17,18]. Biorinck tablets contain dried Chlorella (Parachlorella bijerinkii CK-5) powder as the active ingredient.…”

Effect of Silkworm (Bombyx mori) Excrement Powder on the Alcoholic Hepatotoxicit in Rats

“…Chlorella contains 55~67% protein with all the essential amino acids, 1~4% chlorophyll, 9~18% dietary fiber and a large amount of minerals and vitamins [19]. It is also postulated that Chlorella, because of its high chlorophyll γ -GTP concentrations, is able to assist in the detoxification of heavy metals and pesticides [2].…”