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Benefits of Modifilan |
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By L. Gordin, M.D. |
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Cambridge, MA |
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Modifilan is a concentrated extract of the brown seaweed Laminaria japonica.
This seaweed is gathered in the clean waters of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
Forty pounds of raw Laminaria japonica is needed to make just one pound
of Modifilan. This unique patented technology "semidigests" the tough outer
layer of seaweed fibers exposing, concentrating and making much more bioavailable
the macro-and micronutrient-dense central vein of the Laminaria.
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Although the nutritional and medicinal powers of seaweeds have been known for thousands
of years the scientific basis of their health benefits has been established only
recently.
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One of the most impressive aspects of Modifilan that sets it apart from other types
of seaweed products is its very high content of soluble polysaccharides like Fucoidan,
laminarin and alginate. The former compound is particularly rich in
such simple sugars as glucuronic acid, mannose and fucose that give Laminaria its
distinctive taste.
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The ongoing research into Fucoidan has conclusively demonstrated its ability
to induce cancer cell apoptosis (programmed cell death) in leukemia, stomach and
colon cancer cell lines. This biological data support epidemiological observations
that Laminaria is an important factor contributing to the relatively low breast
cancer rates reported in Japan.
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The technology involved in processing Laminaria japonica preserves and at the same
time concentrates this vulnerable thermolabile substance thus making Modifilan one
of the richest sources of cancer-fighting Fucoidan.
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Another polysaccharide concentrated in Modifilan that may have anti-cancer properties
is laminarin. It is known that tumor formation and growth require a highly
charged extra-cellular matrix. Solid tumors provoke ongoing high-level fibrin leakage
from surrounding capillaries. This fibrin clot gets invaded by various cells recruited
by solid tumors including fibroblasts and endothelial cells. The former cells lay
down a heavily charged matrix throughout the tumor and the later cells participate
in tumor angiogenesis (vascularization). Angiogenesis is a prerequisite for tumor
expansion and metastasis. It has been shown that laminarin sulfate inhibit the binding
of basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) to an extra-cellular matrix leading to
inhibition of fibrin clot invasion by tumor-recruited fibroblasts and endothelial
cells suggesting a novel approach to tumor therapy based on blocking angiogenesis.
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Cancer metastasis involves the tumor cell adhesion to host tissue basement membrane
followed by tissue invasion facilitated by tumor cell surface (urokinaze-type plasminogen
activator) associated plasminogen activation. Fucoidan interferes with cancer
cells metastasis (anti-metastatic activity) by inhibition of physical interaction
between the tumor cells and basement membrane as well as suppression of the proteolytic
cascade of plasminogen activation.
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Interaction and organization of cells and tissue in general and tumor and host cells
in particular may be mediated by the interactions between cell membrane polysaccharides
and the corresponding protein receptor. Fucoidan, a sulfated fucopolysaccharide,
inhibits the adhesion process (cell-cell interaction) by blocking lectin-like adhesion
molecules (glycoproteins) on cell surfaces and therefore interfering with tumor
cell colonization (metastasis).
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Another mechanism of antiproliferative (anti-tumor) properties of Fucoidan was shown
in vitro and in vivo on a cell line derived from a nonsmall-cell human bronchopulmonary
carcinoma (particularly chemoresistant tumor). Fucoidan exerted antiproliferative
activity with a block observed in the G1 phase of the cell cycle.
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It has also been demonstrated that Fucoidan acts as a so-called activator of the
reticulo-endothelial system, specifically as an enhancer of phagocytosis. This suggests
another aspect of antitumor activity of Fucoidan related to the activation of macrophage-mediated
tumor cell killing. There are also non-polysaccharide fractions from Laminaria that
have been found to have a significant cancer-preventative anti-mutagenic (anti-DNA
damage) activity against typical genotoxic substances. Another promising use of
the sulfated polysaccharides Fucoidan and laminarin is in the prevention and treatment
of cardiovascular disease. Several mechanisms are involved: the inhibition of smooth
muscle cell proliferation (monoclonal hyperplasia) which is an important step in
atherogeneses; activation of enzymes involved in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids
which can be useful in the prevention and treatment of hyperlipedemia. Laminarin
has been shown to have a hypotensive effect. It also exhibits 30% of the anticoagulant
activity of heparin. All of these properties of sulfated polysaccharides make Modifilan
clinically applicable in the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease,
cerebrovascular disease, atherosclerosis, cancerogenesis and cancer metastasis.
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Another extremely important area of Modifilan application is in the environmental
medicine. Polysaccharide laminarin has been shown in four animal species (mice,
guineapigs, dogs, and monkeys) to prevent acute radiation sickness and death (about
LD90) when administered within 24 hours after radiation exposure. This research
suggests that the brown seaweed Laminaria can be clinically useful in the treatment
and prevention of the adverse effects of ionizing radiation.
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The non-digestible polysaccharide alginate that comprises 50% of Modifilan's
total dry weight has the unique ability of binding heavy metals and radioactive
substances to its own molecules. As the alginate is non-digestible it is excreted
from the body together with toxic compounds. This is particularly important
for cadmium and mercury, as these metals are found at dangerously
high levels in air, water and food. Alginate can also remove isotopes that have
previously been absorbed by the human body from the environment. Even small amounts
of radioactive pollution will expose surrounding cells to harmful radioactive
emission. The way alginate facilitates the excretion of toxic substances that find
their way into the body from the environment can be shown using, as an example,
the elimination of radioactive strontium:
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Sr 2+ (food) |
 
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Sr 2+ (in GI tract) + alginate = strontium alginate
feces |
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Sr 2+ (blood) |
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Sr 2+ (bones) |
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A percentage of Strontium molecules stored in the bone structure (or any other toxic
substance stored in the tissue) is constantly released and is traveling with the
blood stream. As the blood feeds the saliva and bile, part of the released strontium
or other toxic metal ends up in the large intestine. Most of the liquid in the large
intestine is reabsorbed by the body including the radioactive isotopes and heavy
metals, which are redeposited back into the tissue. Alginate can break this process,
as toxic substances are bound to the alginate molecules and released from the body
with feces. Alginate binds to all heavy metals including lead, mercury, cadmium,
cobalt, copper and radium.
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Modifilan should be consumed over at least a four-month period to expedite removal
of toxic substances stored in the body as a result of previous exposures.
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Another interesting potential application of Modifilan as one of the best sources
of Fucoidan is for inflammatory conditions of the alimentary tract.
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The inflammation process involves elevated synthesis of the proinflammotory mediators
like adhesion molecules, white cell infiltration of gastrointestinal mucosa and
altered mucosal integrity. Therapeutic use of heparin has produced clinical remission
in the majority of patients with inflammatory bowel disorder. One of the mechanisms
involved is restoration of the fibroblast growth factor activity that stimulates
repair of the epithelium. Since Fucoidan shares many properties with heparin including
cell surfact activity one can expect similar therapeutic benefit with use of Fucoidan.
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Another mechanism of the beneficial effect of heparin, heparan sulphate and potentially
Fucoidan is their mucosal-protective properties as glycosaminoglycans. Gastrointestinal
inflammation may cause alteration in the protective mucosal layer of glycosalminoglycans
and may cause substances like heparin and Fucoidan to become "conditionally essential"
nutrients suitable for oral administration because they can be absorbed across the
GI mucosa.
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Anticancer Res 1996 May-Jun;16(3A):1213-8
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The dietary intake of Laminaria, a brown seaweed, and breast cancer prevention.
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Teas J. |
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Based on epidemiological and biological data, Laminaria, a brown kelp seaweed, is
proposed as an important factor contributing to the relatively low breast cancer
rates reported in Japan. Several possible mechanisms for the influence of Laminaria
on breast cancer are proposed: Laminaria is a source of nondigestible fiber, thereby
increasing fecal bulk and decreasing bowel transit time; it changes the posthepatic
metabolism of sterols; it contains an antibiotic substance that may influence fecal
ecology; it contains 1-3 beta glucan, which alters enzymatic activity of fecal flora;
and it stimulates the host-mediated immune response. It is suggested that Laminaria
may play a role in preventing either the initiation of breast cancer or
its promotion by endogenous physiological factors.
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Publication Types: |
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� Review
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PMID: 6302638, UI: 83194310
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