07.18.22
A recent study published in the Journal of Functional Foods suggests potential for high purity fucoidan to address the symptoms of norovirus.
Gastroenteritis caused by norovirus usually starts suddenly and causes vomiting and watery diarrhea. Sufferers may also experience nausea, fever, stomach pains, headache, muscle aches and dehydration.
Symptoms usually begin between 24 and 48 hours after exposure to the virus and generally last for one or two days. It is highly contagious and can spread quickly. There are currently no preventive vaccines or antiviral treatments for norovirus.
Previous in vitro research has shown that fucoidans, a group of natural compounds derived from brown seaweed, may be an inhibitor of noroviral entry to cells. Some pre-clinical studies indicate the potential for fucoidan to both lessen the symptoms of norovirus and reduce the spread of infection.
A new study utilizing zebrafish larvae has shown that a high purity fucoidan extract enhanced the innate immune response of the host. The fucoidan inhibited the replication of human norovirus and also significantly upregulated genes associated with interferon signaling.
The high purity fucoidan utilized in the study was extracted from Fucus vesiculosus seaweed by Marinova Pty Ltd.
“These results suggest exciting potential for high purity fucoidan to address the symptoms of norovirus. We can expect to see increasing interest in the use of fucoidan for this application,” said Marinova research scientist and co-author of the paper, Ahyoung Park.
Gastroenteritis caused by norovirus usually starts suddenly and causes vomiting and watery diarrhea. Sufferers may also experience nausea, fever, stomach pains, headache, muscle aches and dehydration.
Symptoms usually begin between 24 and 48 hours after exposure to the virus and generally last for one or two days. It is highly contagious and can spread quickly. There are currently no preventive vaccines or antiviral treatments for norovirus.
Previous in vitro research has shown that fucoidans, a group of natural compounds derived from brown seaweed, may be an inhibitor of noroviral entry to cells. Some pre-clinical studies indicate the potential for fucoidan to both lessen the symptoms of norovirus and reduce the spread of infection.
A new study utilizing zebrafish larvae has shown that a high purity fucoidan extract enhanced the innate immune response of the host. The fucoidan inhibited the replication of human norovirus and also significantly upregulated genes associated with interferon signaling.
The high purity fucoidan utilized in the study was extracted from Fucus vesiculosus seaweed by Marinova Pty Ltd.
“These results suggest exciting potential for high purity fucoidan to address the symptoms of norovirus. We can expect to see increasing interest in the use of fucoidan for this application,” said Marinova research scientist and co-author of the paper, Ahyoung Park.