Anti-cancer

Marine flora is classed into 4 groups which are microflora, microalgae, macroalgae and
flowering plants. Marine flora contains compounds that has potential to bring anticancer effects.
The discovery of extracting drugs from marine flora started from late 1960s, till today, there
are more than 10000 compounds have been derived from marine organisms. Cancer is a
dreadful health threatening condition. Many of the cancer treatments do not have potent
medicine as the drugs used are instantly causing side effects (Gurib, 2006). According to the
WHO, 80% of the world's population primarily those of developing countries rely on plant-
derived medicines for the health care such as cancer treatment.

Ethanolic extract from the planktonic diatom Chaetoceros calcitrans, has been tested
on breast cancer cells such as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC), breast epithelial
(MCF-10A) and breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7). Ethanolic was extracted by homogenizing
microalgal biomass with absolute ethanol and filtration of the supernatant. Researchers have
been tested the effect of ethanolic and compared with tamoxifen, which is already a well-known
anti carcinoma drug (Nigjeh, 2013). Anti-cancer actions of C.calcitrans is different compared
to tamoxifen anti-cancer actions. By performing arts analysis exploitation annexin
V/propidium halide, the extract shows necrobiosis induction in MCF-7 cells. Researchers
tested C. calcitrans against a good vary of neoplastic cell lines. Crude ester extract from C.
calcitrans had cytotoxic properties within the MDA-MB-231 neoplastic cell line. An assay on
a non-tumorigenic embryonic cell line conjointly discovered that the cytotoxic result was
specific against cancer cells (Goh, 2014).

Breast cancer is the most common cancer developed among female worldwide. More
than 1.1 million females diagnosed with breast cancer each year, which is four times greater in
western countries than Asian nation. People always think that the development of breast cancer
is due to genetics, but it only plays small role compared to environmental factors such as food
intake which plays a major role in developing breast cancer. Anti-cancer compounds from
marine microalgae have been poorly investigated. Most studies have been done on microalgal
extracts or fractions obtained using low resolution methods such as liquid-liquid partitioning
or solid phase extractions. Breast cancer is related to certain hormone level such as estrogen,
which is a hormone that help breast cancer to grow. Breast cancer cells grow when estrogen
attaches to a protein called estrogen receptors (Ritchie, 2001). Marine plants such as wakame
and mekabu are rich in iodine, current studies shows that there is statistical correlation between
iodine and breast cancer (Funahashi, 2001). Statistics shows Japanese woman that migrate to
western countries has higher incidence of breast cancer while Japanese woman that increase
consumption of dietary iodine has exceptionally low incidence of breast cancer. Researchers
have found that iodine interacts with the estrogen pathway by alternating mRNA expression of
certain genes involved in breast cancer pathways and down-regulated several estrogen
responsive (Rogan, 2003).

Figure 1.1 Seaweed Wakame Figure 1.2 Seaweed

Mekabu

Estrogen metabolism in postmenstrual women can also be altered by consuming kelp.

Extract of common kelp has been shown to inhibit the binding of estradiol to estrogen receptors
and progesterone to the progesterone receptor (Athukorala, 2004). Bladderwrack, Fucus
Vesiculosus has been found to exert anti-estrogenic effects in pre-menopausal women (Skibola,
2004). Besides, appropriate fiber intake can also prevent breast cancer (Fukuda, 2017).
Consumption of fiber from brown seaweed, Alaria esculenta related to Undaria pinnatifida
can help to modulates serum estradiol levels and urinary excretion of estrogen metabolites and
phytoestrogens. Therefore, it can be assumed that intake of brown seaweed helps in lower
estrogen circulating level which correlates to certain hormone-dependant cancers such as breast
cancer.
 Figure 1.3 Bladderwrack, Fucus Vesiculosus

References

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Kumeta, K., Tsukamoto, T., and Tokunaga, S., 2017. Pattern of dietary fiber intake
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