Functional ingredients for human health have recently become the focus of research. One such potentially versatile therapeutic component is fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharides (FCSPs), referred to as fucoidans. The exploitation of marine brown algae provides a rich source of FCSPs because of their role as a structural component of the cell wall. Fucoidans are characterized by a sulfated fucose backbone. However, the structural characterization of FCSPs is impeded by their structural diversity, molecular weight, and complexity. The extraction and purification conditions significantly influence the yield and structural alterations. Inflammation is the preliminary response to potentially injurious inducements, and it is of the utmost importance for modulation in the proper direction. Improper manipulation and/or continuous stimuli could have detrimental effects in the long run. The web of immune responses mediated through multiple modulatory/cell signaling components can be addressed through functional ingredients, benefiting patients with no side effects. In this review, we attempted to address the involvement of FCSPs in the stimulation/downregulation of immune response cell signaling. The structural complexity and its foremost influential factor, extraction techniques, have also attracted attention, with concise details on the structural implications of bioactivity.

Dieckol is a natural brown algal-derived polyphenol and its cytotoxic potential against various types of cancer cells has been studied. However, the effects of dieckol on autophagy in cancer cells remain unknown. Here, we show that dieckol inhibits the growth of A375 human melanoma cells by inducing apoptotic cell death, which is associated with lysosomal dysfunction and the inhibition of autophagic flux. Dieckol induces autophagosome accumulation by inhibiting autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Moreover, dieckol not only triggers lysosomal membrane permeabilization, followed by an increase in lysosomal pH and the inactivation of cathepsin B and D, but also causes the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Importantly, a cathepsin D inhibitor partially relieved dieckol-induced mitochondrial membrane impairment and caspase-mediated apoptosis. Collectively, our findings indicate that dieckol is a novel autophagy inhibitor that induces apoptosis-mediated cell death via lysosomal dysfunction and mitochondrial membrane impairment in A375 human melanoma cells. This suggests the novel potential value of dieckol as a chemotherapeutic drug candidate for melanoma treatment.

Particulate matter (PM) is a significant participant in air pollution and is hence an inducer of serious health issues. This study aimed to evaluate the dust protective effects of alginate from Padina boryana (PBA) via inflammatory-associated pathways to develop anti-fine dust skincare products. In between the external and internal environments, the skin is considered to be more than a physical barrier. It was observed that PM stimulates inflammation in the skin via activating NF-κB and MAPK pathways. The potential of PBA to inhibit the studied pathways were evident. The metal ion content of PM was considerably reduced by PBA and thus attributed to its chelation ability. Current research demonstrated the potential of P. boryana alginates to be implemented as a protective barrier against inflammation imposed with heavy metal and bacterial-derived endotoxin bound to the surface of the PM. Concisely, the results suggest that the bioactive components derived from the brown algae Padina boryana increased the cellular resistance to PM-stimulated inflammation-driven skin damage.

The major objective of this study was to investigate the pepsin digests of cutlassfish muscle for their antioxidant activity. The peptide isolated after 3 h of pepsin hydrolysis demonstrated the highest scavenging activity for both 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and alkyl radicals. It also had the highest yield of the isolates with the highest protein content, which was likely related to its higher degree of hydrolysis than the other hydrolysates. The antioxidant peptide purified from the 3 h pepsin hydrolysate indicated the amino acid sequence, Phe-Ser-Gly-Gly-Glu. This study suggests that cutlassfish muscle is an excellent antioxidant source and could be effectively used as a food ingredient and in pharmaceuticals.

Yeon-Ji Lee, Won-Suk Kim, You-Jin Jeon, and Yong-Tae Kim. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2021;50:1168-76. https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2021.50.11.1168

Sun-A Park, Yeon-Ji Lee, Sun Joo Park, and Yong-Tae Kim. Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2025;54:553-8. https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2025.54.6.553