The Safety of Long-Term Ingestion of Fucoidan from Gagome Kombu (Kjellmaniella Crassifolia) on Cancer Patients
10.1625/jcam.10.17
- VernacularTitle:がん患者に対するガゴメ昆布フコイダンの長期摂取の安全性評価
- Author:
Nobutaka SUZUKI
;
Kazuo UEBABA
;
Han SONG
;
Yuko TAKIMOTO
;
Rio SUZUKI
;
Toshiki KAWABATA
;
FengHao XU
;
Hiromu OHNOGI
;
Masuo NAKAI
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
cancer;
Fucoidan;
Gagome kombu;
safety test
- From:Japanese Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
2013;10(1):17-24
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
-
Abstract:
Objective: Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide in Gagome kombu (GKF) is known to exhibit immune-enhancing and anti-cancer activities. Recently, cancer patients use various dietary supplements containing fucoidan and mushroom extracts. However, there have been few reports on the safety and efficacy of fucoidan-containing supplements. In this study, we examined the safety of long-term ingestion of GKF in cancer patients.
Methods: Twenty six (26) Japanese cancer patients—16 of whom (male 6, female 10, age 62.8 ± 10.7) have completed cancer treatment and 10 (male 4, female 6, 67.0 ± 10.6) still under treatment and regularly taking anti-cancer drugs and hormone pills—were chosen to ingest GKF-containing supplements (200–300 mg/day) for 8 weeks. Before ingestion and every 4 weeks thereafter (4th and 8th week), blood chemistry analysis, hematological analysis, urinalysis and immune analysis were conducted.
Result: There were no adverse clinical changes in blood and urinary analysis. In addition, no serious adverse effects were observed.
Conclusion: These results indicate long-term ingestion of GKF is indeed, safe for cancer patients.
