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Effects of the brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida on erythematous inflammation assessed using digital photo analysis
Author(s) -
Khan Mohammed Nurul Absar,
Lee MinChul,
Kang JiYoung,
Park Nam Gyu,
Fujii Hitoshi,
Hong YongKi
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.2349
Subject(s) - erythema , thallus , eicosapentaenoic acid , traditional medicine , chemistry , biology , botany , medicine , dermatology , biochemistry , fatty acid , polyunsaturated fatty acid
The brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar produced potent inhibition of erythematous inflammation assessed using digital photo analysis. The analysis technique was validated by laser speckle flowgraphy and blood vessel contraction. The methanol extract suppressed erythema by 50% when applied within 1 h before or 15 min after application of phorbol myristate acetate. Erythema reduction to half‐maximal values took 12 h with the extract, compared with 25 h with the vehicle. The blade part of the thallus showed the highest activity, while the northern type of U. pinnatifida had slightly higher activity than the southern type. The active constituents were stearidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. These findings reinforce the claims of the health care industry and indigenous medicine that U. pinnatifida can be used as a health food and remedy for inflammation‐related symptoms. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.