Fucoidan ameliorates ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Affecting the lining of the colon, it can cause painful swelling that leads to abdominal discomfort and diarrhoea. There is currently no cure for ulcerative colitis.
High purity fucoidan produced by Marinova has previously been shown to be an effective inhibitor of colitis in an animal model. A recent animal study investigated the potential curative effects of orally ingested fucoidan, also produced by Marinova, in experimentally induced ulcerative colitis.
The study examined gene and protein expression, oxidative stress and antioxidant activity in colon tissue. It also investigated morphological changes, including variations to intestinal glands, inflammatory cells and both colon weight and length.
The results indicated that all changes in the colon induced by the ulcerative colitis were ameliorated by the fucoidan. Researchers concluded that fucoidan could treat ulcerative colitis in rats.
The full paper, ‘Curative effects of fucoidan on acetic acid induced ulcerative colitis in rats via modulating aryl hydrocarbon receptor and phosphodiesterase-4’ was published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies.