Fucoidan: A nutraceutical for metabolic and regulatory systems homeostasis maintenance

Abstract

Sustentation of homeostatic processes is the basic principle of vital activity of organism. Even small swings of concentration of some metabolites in the blood, especially glucose, lead to a violation of course of metabolic processes and pose a threat to vival activity of organism. Neuro-hormonal system, cytokine system and number of cell signaling systems participate in regulation of rate of metabolic processes. The influence of pharmaceutical preparations on these regulation systems can promote the development of serious complications, so there is an active search of natural food compounds with high bioactivity. The greatest interest in this situation is fucoidan, which is sulfated polysaccaride of brown seaweed. It is shown that it 1) supports the work of the central nervous system by moderately reducing the death of cholinergic neurons and maintaining the level of dopamine, 2) interferes with the development of hormonal imbalance, 3) promotes a decrease in the level of inflammatory cytokines in the blood and maintenance of the concentration of proinflammatory, 4) improves the functioning of the insulin cascade signaling systems at the mTOR kinase level by activating the translation process, 5) leads to a decrease in free radicals (antioxidant) and the restoration of their level (a prooxidant), 6) supports the homeostasis of the coagulation system due to anticoagulant and procoagulant properties. In this way, fucoidan should be attributed to nutraceuticals that promote health, improve quality and longevity of a person.