Wakame Seaweed Research Articles

Separation and Enzymatic Saccharification of Cellulose from Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida)

Cellobiose and glucose were produced using an enzyme (cellulase from Trichoderma viride) reaction from the crude fiber unit (CFU) separated from Wakame seaweed (Undaria pinnatifida). The method for separation involved adding sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) to desalted stalks of wet Wakame. The wet CFU was pulverized using a centrifugal grinder after lyophilization. The enzyme reaction used the CFU powder as a substrate. The maximum concentration of cellobiose and glucose reached 56±2.0 and 130±0.2 mg/g, respectively. The total cellulose included in this CFU was determined to be about 70%. The sugar recovery from cellulose in the CFU was 20%. Although glucose was detected when micro-crystalline cellulose was used as a substrate, cellobiose and glucose were detected when CFU powder was used as a substrate.

Wakame seaweed suppresses the proliferation of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)-anthracene-induced mammary tumors in rats.

We examined the anti‐tumor proliferation effects of wakame seaweed on 7,12‐dimethylbenz(a)‐anthracene (DMBA)‐induced rat mammary tumor. DMBA was administered to 8‐week‐old female Sprague‐Dawley rats, and rats which developed mammary tumors were assigned randomly to three groups. Commercial rat feed was used in a control group (group I‐A), and two feed mixtures were prepared, which contained commercial rat feed blended with wakame at 1.0% (group I‐B) and 5.0% (group I‐C) by weight. The respective feeds were given to each group for 8 weeks, and changes in mammary tumor size were compared. At the end of the experiment, mammary tumors and thyroid glands were resected to compare their weights. Serum total iodine and thyroxin (T4) levels were measured. Immunohistochemical studies for bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling, transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β, and apoptosis were carried out in the resected tumor. Significant suppression of tumor growth was observed in groups I‐B and I‐C compared with I‐A. In groups I‐B and I‐C, the weights of resected mammary tumors were significantly lower and serum total iodine concentration was significantly higher than in I‐A. BrdU indices were significantly lower in groups I‐B and I‐C, compared with I‐A. TGF‐β and apoptotic index were inversely related to BrdU. These results suggest that iodine is transported from the serum into mammary tissues and induces apoptosis through the expression of TGF‐β. In conclusion, wakame suppressed the proliferation of DMBA‐induced mammary tumors.

神経性食思不振症姉妹例にみられた海藻類大量摂取による症状と血清中β‐ｃａｒｏｔｅｎｅ濃度の関係

The serum β-carotene concentration was measured by high performance liquid chromatography in anorexia nervosa (A. N.) patients who had taken a large quantity of seaweed such as tangle, toasted laver and wakame seaweed. The A. N. patients of twin sisters had the same findings of hypothyroidism which often accompany A. N. cases, and etiologically unknown yellow-tinged skin and enlarged goiter. Patient blood specimens were taken on the seventh and thirtieth days following the withdrawal of seaweed from their diets.On the seventh day, the serum β-carotene concentrations were 2.2μg/ml in one patient and 2.9μg/ml in another. On the thirtieth day, the former and the latter decreased to 0.5μg/ml and 0.8μg/ml, respectively. Both symptoms of yellow-tinged skin and enlarged goiter improved with the decrease in these concentrations. These recoveries seemed to be influenced by the withdrawal of seaweed from their diets, and also due to an improvement in the hypothyroidism which had been caused by nutritional problems.

Possible anti-tumor promoting properties of marine algae and in vivo activity of Wakame seaweed extract.

(1992). Possible Anti-tumor Promoting Properties of Marine Algae and In Vivo Activity of Wakame Seaweed Extract. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry: Vol. 56, No. 6, pp. 994-995.

Nutritional Evaluation in Blood Chemical Test. Effects on Free Thyroxine Index of Iodine Through. Wakame Seaweed.

In this study, the effects of excessive iodine intake on free thyroixine index (FTI) were studied, and the results are presented in the following.FTI tended to decrease during the basal diet period without wakame seaweed and the decrease tended to continue further during the periods of TEST 1 (wakame seweed 10g/day) and TEST 2 (wakame seaweed 20g/day). The trend changed in the period of TEST 3 (wakame seaweed 40g/day), and FTI rose slightly. When the basal diet was resumed after completion of experimental diets, the level returned to the base line levels measured before the beginning of the experiment.

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine samples by high-performance liquid chromatography

It has been reported that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely distributed in the environment, although their concentrations are quite low. Some PAHs, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene and 3-methycholanthrene, are carcinogenic to mammals after in vivo hydroxylation by mixed function oxidases. PAHs originate largely from smoke, soot, and exhaust gas produced by combustion and from petroleum oil spilled into the sea, so that the quantity of PAHs in the environment is broadly related to the level of contamination in a given region. Although PAHs have been determined by a TLC-fluorescence method, these methods suffer from complex pretreatment. On the other hand, the development of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has made it possible to analyze PAHs with good separation and high sensitivity and to simplify the pretreatment processes. In this study, ten PAHs in sediments, oyster, and wakame seaweed were determined by HPLC with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FD). The contents and the patterns of PAHs found in sediments and marine samples may be used as an indicator of petroleum contamination in the sea.