Proton-donative antioxidant activity of fucoxanthin with 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)
Year:1997
Authors: Nomura,T.; Kikuchi,M.; Kubodera,A.; Kawakami,Y.
Summary of study:
The goal of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity of fucoxanthin compared to various carotenoids in both aerobic and anoxic (without air) environments. In the anoxic environments fucoxanthin exhibited significantly better antioxidant activity compared to the other carotenoids. However, in the aerobic environment fucoxanthin did not have a significantly better result in its antioxidant abilities compared to the other carotenoids. Since most of the human body is an environment of low oxygen, fucoxanthin has the greatest potential for antioxidant activity in the body.
Fucoxanthin as the major antioxidant in Hijikia fusiformis, a common edible seaweed
Year: 1998
Authors: Xiaojun Yan, Yoshihiro Chuda, Masahiro Suzuki, and Tadahiro Nagata
Summary of study:
The goal of this study was to determine the radical scavenging ability of various seaweeds. The process used to determine the radical scavenging ability of the seaweed was 3 steps:
- Take various types of fresh seaweed and freeze-dry it.
- Pulverize each sample into a powder.
- Various extractions of the seaweeds were analyzed for their radical scavenging ability.
The study concluded that Hijikia fusiformis contained a compound that was the only found in the seaweed to exhibit radical scavenging capabilities. The compound was fucoxanthin. Research on fucoxanthin had been performed in the early 1990’s demonstrating some beneficial effects including anticarcinogenesis and antimutagenesis. The conclusion of the study is that more research should be done on fucoxanthin.
Fucoxanthin from edible seaweed, Undaria pinnatifida, shows antiobesity effect through UCP1 expression in white adipose tissues
Year: 2006
Authors: Maeda,H.; Hosokawa,M.; Sashima,T.; Funayama,K.; Miyashita,K
Summary of study:
The goal of this combination study was to demonstrate that UCP1 activity in other tissues besides brown adipose tissue (white adipose tissue) would reduce abdominal fat, and that there are components of seaweed to bring about this abdominal fat loss.
- They used the fat portions from edible seaweed with all component fat soluble parts including fucoxanthin at 2% of their diet and 0.5% of their diet.
- They removed the fucoxanthin and just administered the glycolipids (fats attached to sugar) of the seaweed.
- They had a placebo group to compare
The conclusion of this first study was that the edible fats from seaweed significantly decreased the weight of white adipose tissue for the 2% group. The 0.5% group did experience a decrease but not in significant amounts. Finally, the placebo group did not experience a decrease in the weight of white adipose tissue.
Potential for white adipose tissue (WAT) reduction by adding fucoxanthin from brown marine vegetables to the diets of experimental animals
A research paper presented September 2006 at the American Chemical Society meeting by Japanese researchers demonstrated the potential for white adipose tissue (WAT) reduction by adding fucoxanthin from brown marine vegetables to the diets of experimental animals.
The American Chemical Society -- the world's largest scientific society -- is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. The paper on this research, AGFD 039, presented Monday, Sept. 11, 2006 at 8:45 a.m., at the San Francisco Marriott, Nob Hill C, during the symposium, "Functional Foods and Health." Kazuo Miyashita, Ph.D., is a chemistry professor in the Graduate School of Fisheries Sciences at Hokkaido University in Hokkaido, Japan.
Fucoxanthin and its metabolite, fucoxanthinol, suppress adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells
Effect of medium-chain triacylglycerols on anti-obesity effect of fucoxanthin
Year: 2006
Authors: Maeda,H.; Hosokawa,M.; Sashima,T.; Takahashi,N.; Kawada,T.; Miyashita,K.
Summary of study:
Can fucoxanthin slow down or stop the conversion of preadiopcytes to full-blow adipocytes in mouse cell? An in-vitro study fucoxanthin slowed fat accumulation in the preadipocyte cells during the transition of pre-fat cells to adipocytes, however fucoxanthin was not toxic to the fat cells. Fucoxanthin was converted to fucoxanthinol in the fat cells. Fucoxanthin and fucoxanthinol down-regulated (decreased the activity of) a key receptor which regulates (adipogenic) fat gene expression. The researchers conclude that for all of the reasons, and others, fucoxanthin may be a beneficial, natural compound for the prevention of obesity.
Effect of medium-chain triacylglycerols on anti-obesity effect of fucoxanthin
Year: 2007
Authors: Maeda,H.; Hosokawa,M.; Sashima,T.; Takahashi,N.; Kawada,T.; Miyashita,K.
Summary of study:
The goal of this study was to measure the anti-obesity effect of fucoxanthin and medium chain triacylglycerols (MCT’s) from fish oil, as well as a combination of the fucoxanthin MCT. The subjects were obese mice and they were fed one of the 3 diets proposed:
- Normal diet plus 9g of MCT
- Normal diet plus 1g of fucoxanthin
- Normal diet plus 9g of MCT and 1g of fucoxanthin
The results demonstrated that fucoxanthin alone, or in combination with MCT, significantly decrease the weight of white adipose tissue in obese mice. Beyond weight loss, the MCT fucoxanthin group significantly decreased the leptin levels as compared to MCT alone or fucoxanthin alone. Finally, UCP1 expression was increased in the fucoxanthin group, and significantly increase in the MCT fucoxanthin group. This study demonstrates that the fat solublility of fucoxanthin provides novel and increased absorption compared to fucoxanthin alone.