The Therapeutic Potential of the Anticancer Activity of Fucoidan: Current Advances and Hurdles

• Published in: Marine drugs Vol. 19; no. 5; p. 265
• Main Authors: Jin, Jun-O, Chauhan, Pallavi Singh, Arukha, Ananta Prasad, Chavda, Vishal, Dubey, Anuj, Yadav, Dhananjay
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.05.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Acids; Algae; Angiogenesis; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; anticancer activity; Anticancer properties; Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Antioxidants; Antitumor activity; Antitumor agents; Antitumour agents; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biological activity; Breast cancer; brown algae; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle - drug effects; Cell growth; Chemotherapy; cytotoxic effects; Cytotoxicity; Drug dosages; Drugs; Fucoidan; Glucose; Humans; Macrophages; Metabolism; Molecular weight; Natural killer cells; Neoplasms; Neoplasms - drug therapy; Polysaccharides; Polysaccharides - adverse effects; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; Polysaccharides - therapeutic use; Radiation damage; Radiation effects; Review; Signal transduction; Synergistic effect; Toxicity; tumor growth; tumor growth; anticancer activity; brown algae; fucoidan; cytotoxic effects
• ISSN: 1660-3397; 1660-3397
• DOI: 10.3390/md19050265

Several types of cancers share cellular and molecular behaviors. Although many chemotherapy drugs have been designed to weaken the defenses of cancer cells, these drugs may also have cytotoxic effects on healthy tissues. Fucoidan, a sulfated fucose-based polysaccharide from brown algae, has gained much attention as an antitumor drug owing to its anticancer effects against multiple cancer types. Among the anticancer mechanisms of fucoidan are cell cycle arrest, apoptosis evocation, and stimulation of cytotoxic natural killer cells and macrophages. Fucoidan also protects against toxicity associated with chemotherapeutic drugs and radiation-induced damage. The synergistic effect of fucoidan with existing anticancer drugs has prompted researchers to explore its therapeutic potential. This review compiles the mechanisms through which fucoidan slows tumor growth, kills cancer cells, and interacts with cancer chemotherapy drugs. The obstacles involved in developing fucoidan as an anticancer agent are also discussed in this review.