Exciting Seaweed Research Opportunities
First of all, a very Happy New Year to you all. Let's hope it will be a better one for all of us ! In line with the time of year, this article takes stock of some of the feedback we have received since launch and touches upon our resolutions for the year ahead.
Recently, whilst reviewing some of the customer reactions to our products, one comment stood out. It asked, “are Maiiro’s products beneficial for treating cancer?”.
As you can probably imagine, this question stopped me dead in my tracks, as we have never advocated the use of our products as a form of medicine. In short, the answer is no. However, in real life, nothing is ever completely black or white of course, and it did set me thinking . .
Given some of the almost miraculous properties of seaweeds, a major active component of our products, the question was perhaps not as random as it first appeared, with many studies finding strong anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties in various seaweed species.
In terms of cancer research, based on historical use of Fucoidan, Sargassum and Saccharina species, animal studies have long suggested that long-chained polysaccharides are effective in inhibiting cancerous tumours. One recent study conducted by the University of Santo Tomas, commissioned by the National Research Council of the Phillipines, identified that polysaccharides extracted from the Codium species proved effective against cancer cells and destructive enzymes associated with cancer metastasis.
Here at Maiiro, we intend to take this as a “What If” moment. Containing our trademarked five seaweed formulation, Kelpogen5™, all our products already use ingredients specifically chosen for their proven anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. What if we were to use this as our cue to seriously research the potential for medical applications of seaweed-based creams going forward - not just for general skin conditions but to specifically benefit those suffering, or recovering from skin-cancer for example?
Kelpogen5™ contains extracts from the Fucoidan family - Fucus Vesiculosis - more commonly known as bladderwrack. Its anti-cancer properties have been studied since the 1980s, with low side effects and a number of studies indicating excellent results in prostate, bladder, colon, breast and lung cancer, as well as leukemia *.
Against the backdrop of the incredulous amounts of spending on the Covid-19 crisis over the past months, just imagine if global efforts combined in the same way, to research seaweed as a potential treatment or cure for cancer? We know that it is possible. Given the scale of the suffering worldwide and the growing prevalence of this horrific illness, this must surely be the way forward. As a company we are actively looking to support such research initiatives.
In conclusion, 2020 unfortunately never really turned into the year we had hoped for and after all the challenges, we definitely need something positive to look forward to. Personally, I think we may be on to something here and am very excited about our future plans !
Katy
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*The anti-cancer effects of fucoidan: a review of both in vivo and in vitra investigations - 07/05/2020 Yuan Lin, Xingsi Qi, Kujin Xue, Shan Xu and Zibin Tian. Also: Fucoidan and cancer: a multifunctional molecule with anti-tumor potential - 14/04/2015 Farzaneh Atashrazm, Ray M. Lowenthal, Gregory M. Woods, Adele F. Holloway and Joanne L. Dickinson.