Seaweed-derived compound shows promise in fighting food allergies and inflammation

Food allergies affect an estimated 3–4% of the global population, and there's still no definitive cure. Researchers from Ocean University of China may have found a natural candidate worth watching: a purified fraction of fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweed (Laminaria japonica), that demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activity in lab tests.

Using a salt-gradient purification technique, the team isolated a fraction called LJF-2, which was notably richer in sulfate groups and rhamnose than crude fucoidan extracts. In immune cell experiments, LJF-2 reduced inflammatory markers in macrophages and stabilized mast cells — the key players in allergic reactions — without showing signs of toxicity across a wide concentration range.

By the Numbers:

• LJF-2 reduced histamine release from 19.24 to 10.13 ng/mL in activated mast cells
• Inflammatory mediators TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β dropped to relative expression levels of 0.64, 0.55, and 0.68, respectively, at 100 μg/mL
• No cytotoxicity was detected at concentrations from 25 to 400 μg/mL

Why it matters: These findings suggest that the anti-allergic potential of seaweed fucoidan is closely tied to its structural makeup — and that targeted purification can enhance it. While the results are still at the cell-study stage and need animal and clinical validation, LJF-2 holds real potential as a natural, food-grade ingredient for managing allergic and inflammatory conditions.