Seaweeds are recognized for their high levels of essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and polyunsaturated lipids, along with beneficial compounds that help combat various health issues.
This blog post will focus on the seaweed Fucus, specifically to introduce the study, “Phytochemical Constituents and Biological Activities of Fucus spp” by Marcelo D Catarino et al.
Fucus, a brown perennial seaweed, is abundant, widely distributed, and edible, and it has recently attracted considerable attention due to its properties. The Fucus genus inhabits cool-temperate coastal and sub-coastal waters along rocky coastlines in the Northern Hemisphere. The Fucus genus, among the many edible seaweeds, is considered to be highly nutritious and an excellent source of dietary fiber and minerals, most notably iodine, offering significant dietary benefits. In addition, their rich content of bioactive compounds such as fucoidan, phlorotannins, and fucoxanthin makes them potential candidates for various therapeutic applications (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiobesity, anticoagulation, and antidiabetic.
Fucus is a highly nutritious, low-calorie food because it’s low in fat and easily digestible carbohydrates. Although the nutritional content of this genus is highly dependent on seasonal, environmental, genetic, and other variations, it is generally very rich in dietary fiber and is an important source of fucoidan and alginic acid. Moreover, Fucus is also very rich in mineral content, exceeding that of common terrestrial vegetables. Algae of this genus are generally high in Na and K, but in low ratios, which may help regulate Na/K imbalances in Western countries. Furthermore, these algae may accumulate high concentrations of iodine, which is deficient in almost half of the European population and is very important for thyroid function.
In comparison to red and green algae, these macroalgae possess a lower protein concentration; however, their protein content exceeds that of certain terrestrial plants often regarded as excellent sources of vegetable protein, and, importantly, they are complete proteins containing all nine essential amino acids and are exceptionally abundant in glutamic and aspartic acids. Similarly, despite the low lipid content, Fucus’ lipid profile is very rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). It has a very low ω6/ω3 ratio, unlike those currently found in the Western diet.
Fucus algae offer a rich supply of bioactive compounds, potentially leading to new natural therapeutics. Among them, fucoidan and phlorotannins are particularly interesting, but there are also other equally important compounds, such as vitamins and fucoxanthin. These compounds have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their many potential therapeutic properties. These substances share in common their outstanding capabilities: Firstly, excellent antioxidant activity, demonstrated by their ability to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) and bolster intracellular antioxidant defenses; secondly, superior anticancer activity, manifested in their activation of cancer cell apoptosis and inhibition of both metastasis and angiogenesis; and thirdly, exceptional anti-inflammatory activity, achieved by suppressing the production of several key pro-inflammatory mediators. Other important biological activities include anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, or anti-photoaging effects, and, in the case of fucoidan, anticoagulant/anti-thrombotic effects.
The significant nutritional content of Fucus offers a substantial contribution to enhancing the dietary quality in Western nations, while the presence of potent and multifaceted biologically active compounds presents a substantial opportunity for its utilization as a sustainable source material in the extraction of natural active ingredients for the creation of novel, high-value products. Especially in the food industry, the nutritional value of Fucus not only represents a valuable contribution to the improvement of diets in Western countries. The presence of compounds exhibiting such potent and diverse bioactivity, however, presents a significant opportunity for exploitation as a sustainable source of natural active ingredients, thereby paving the way for the creation of innovative, high-value products. Fucus has demonstrated significant potential for improving food quality and shelf life, and for creating functional foods. This genus also holds promise for applications in nutraceutical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical development.

Source: Mar Drugs. 2018 Jul 27;16(8):249. doi: 10.3390/md1608024