Health benefit of fucosterol from marine algae: a review

Abstract

Seaweeds belong to a group of marine plants known as algae, which are consumed as sea vegetables in several Asian countries. Recent studies have focused on the biological and pharmacological activities of seaweeds and their highly bioactive secondary metabolites because of their potential in the development of new pharmaceutical agents. Although several varieties of bioactive novel compounds such as phlorotannins, diterpenes and polysaccharides from seaweeds have already been well scrutinized, fucosterol as a phytosterol still needs to reinvent itself. Fucosterol (24-ethylidene cholesterol) is a sterol that can be isolated from algae, seaweed and diatoms. Fucosterol exhibits various biological therapeutics, including anticancer, antidiabetic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antihyperlipidemic, antifungal, antihistaminic, anticholinergic, antiadipogenic, antiphotodamaging, anti-osteoporotic, blood cholesterol reducing, blood vessel thrombosis preventive and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. In this review, we address some potential approaches for arbitrating novel fucosterol biologics in the medical field, focusing on the selection of personalized drug candidates and highlighting the challenges and opportunities regarding medical breakthroughs. We also highlight recent advances made in the design of this novel compound, as the significant health benefits from using these optimized applications apply to the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical fields.

Algae as nutritional and functional food sources: revisiting our understanding

“…Older analytical techniques may have misidentified algal sterols as cholesterol since their structures are similar (Pereira et al 2016). Fucosterol occurs in many algae, especially red and brown macroalgae (Pereira et al 2016), and this compound may have value in treating complications of diabetes and hypertension, as well as other major health concerns (Abdul et al 2016). However, like other studies of algal foods, the linkages are implied but little is known about the actual in vivo effects of fucosterol when algae are consumed by humans.…”

Fucosterol, isolated fromEcklonia stolonifera, inhibits adipogenesis through modulation of FoxO1 pathway in 3T3-L1 adipocytes

“…Ecklonia stolonifera (brown algae) is widely distributed along the middle Pacific coast around Korea and Japan. Recently, several researches have reported that E. stolonifera possesses beneficial bioactivity, such as the prevention of diabetic complications, and anticholinesterase, antihyperlipidemic, anti‐inflammatory, antiskin ageing, tyrosinase‐inhibitory and hepatoprotective activity . Fucosterol is a sterol metabolite of E. stolonifera, and its anti‐adipogenic activity has been reported .…”

Chemical Analysis of Selected Seaweeds and Seagrass from the Adriatic Coast of Montenegro

“…supports that the concentration of fucosterol in Laminaria japonica , brown seaweed, gets its maximum during winter period, which decreases in autumn. It is well‐known that fucosterol exhibits various biological activities including anticancer, antioxidant, antihyperlipidemic, blood cholesterol reducing and blood vessel thrombosis preventive . It was reported that the sterol composition in green algae, is complex and differs than in other groups of algae .…”