Sea lettuce, common algae, may help prevent inflammatory diseases and cancer, particularly prostate cancer, according to a new study by pharmaceutical researchers from the University of Florida.
Prostate cancer, which affects more than 240,000 men in the US each year, is the second cause of death after lung cancer in men. The incidence of prostate cancer in Asian countries, where consumption of seaweed is usual, is smaller than in the US.
In their quest to find out if there is any correlation between the consumption of seaweed and prostate cancer, researchers led by Hendrik Luesch, associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy from the University of Florida, analyzed various algae that potentially could prevent cancer, identifying those which show promising features and investigated their cellular functions.
According to investigators, sea lettuce has specific active chemical ingredients that increase the levels of a number of antioxidant enzymes in the body and therefore could potentially prevent a number of diseases, including cancer.
Commenting on the scientific evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor sea lettuce, Luesch said, "The antioxidant enzymes in sea lettuce make it ideal for the development of a natural supplement to help prevent diseases. It is possible to make a big difference, not only for the health of men, but also to prevent a number of inflammatory diseases that challenge everyone’s health. "
Prostate cancer, which affects more than 240,000 men in the US each year, is the second cause of death after lung cancer in men. The incidence of prostate cancer in Asian countries, where consumption of seaweed is usual, is smaller than in the US.
In their quest to find out if there is any correlation between the consumption of seaweed and prostate cancer, researchers led by Hendrik Luesch, associate professor of medicinal chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy from the University of Florida, analyzed various algae that potentially could prevent cancer, identifying those which show promising features and investigated their cellular functions.
According to investigators, sea lettuce has specific active chemical ingredients that increase the levels of a number of antioxidant enzymes in the body and therefore could potentially prevent a number of diseases, including cancer.
Commenting on the scientific evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor sea lettuce, Luesch said, "The antioxidant enzymes in sea lettuce make it ideal for the development of a natural supplement to help prevent diseases. It is possible to make a big difference, not only for the health of men, but also to prevent a number of inflammatory diseases that challenge everyone’s health. "
