The genus Fucus belongs to the family of Fucaceae. It includes 66 taxonomically accepted species of brown algae found on the coasts of Central America and Northern Europe. F. vesiculosus is the best known species of this genus. Thanks to the presence of numerous bioactive chemical constituents, the alga has shown great interest in the scientific community for its possible applications in the prevention of human health. The most representative active ingredients are the fucoidans, water soluble sulfated polysaccharides, which have shown anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo in numerous pharmacological studies and able to act as inhibitors of α-amylase and α-glucosidase becoming potential agents for the management of type 2 diabetes. Another class of characteristic secondary metabolites are the florotannins with a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Fucus extracts tested in normal and hyperlipidemic rats have in fact significantly lowered total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels and significantly increased the antiatherogenic index. For these reasons, these algal esters have recently won a primary role as active ingredients of numerous formulations of food supplements, with particular regard to those intended for the treatment of obesity and metabolic syndrome.

 

Li, Shan, et al. “Macromolecular properties and hypolipidemic effects of four sulfated polysaccharides from sea cucumbers.” Carbohydrate Polymers (2017).