Studies on the antitumour activity of marine algae.

Abstract

Screening of antitumour activities were performed by using 56 species of marine algae (4 green, 24 brown, and 28 red algae) from the viewpoint of possible utilization for tumour preventing material. After the preoral administration of powdered 57 species of marine plants for 14 days, mice were inoculated with Ehrlich carcinoma, and breeding was continued for further 14 days. It was found that 3 green, 8 brown, 5 red algae and Z. marina show appreciable antitumour activity. Of the marine algae Scytosiphon lomentaria (Phaeophyta) showed the higherst inhibition rate (69.8%), followed by Lessonia nigrescens (60.0%, Phaeophyta), Laminaria japonica (57.6%, Phaeophyta), Porphyra yezoensis (53.2%, Rhodophyta), Eucheum gelatinae (52.1%, Rhodophyta), Enteromorpha prolifera (51.7%, Chlorophyta) and Sargassum ringgoldianum (46.5%, Phaeophyta).When 24 kinds of seaweed powder samples (2 green, 13 brown, and 9 red algae) were administered intraperitoneally 7 times during 21 days to mice inoculated with Meth A fibrosarcoma, 5 brown and 4 red algae showed appreciable antitumour activities. The inhibition rates were the highest in Sargassum patens (55.5%, Phaeophyta) followed by Eucheuma cottonii (39.8%, Rhodophyta), S. ringgoldianum (39.1%, Phyaeophyta), Laminaria angustata (36.6%, Phaeophyta), Ecklonia cava (35.9%, Phaeophyta) and Chondrus ocellatus (34.7%, Rhodophyta). Among the seaweed, only S. ringgoldianum and P. yezoensis were effective against both Ehrlich carcinoma and Meth A fibrosarcoma.