Ecklonia Cava

Last Updated: September 28 2022

Ecklonia Cava is a brown seaweed with a rich polyphenolic content (this particular subset being known as eckols or phlorotannins) that confers anti-oxidant properties, it is being investigated for health properties.

Ecklonia Cava is most often used for

Summary

Ecklonia Cava is a type of seaweed which is known to be one of the highest sources of phloroglucinols, a type of antioxidant compound that appears to be unique to sea plants. The phloroglucinols appear to be very potent anti-oxidants, and these benefits have been noted after oral ingestion as well.

That being said, the potency of phloroglucinols being anti-oxidants seems to be a bit separate from the magnitude of benefit one gets from ingesting these compounds. Benefits have been noted on blood pressure, blood glucose, and inflammation but for the most part these are statistically sound but practically small benefits. The current human evidence is unconvincing for the most part, although these compounds and seaweed are undoubtedly "healthy" as a general statement.

Other effects that seem interesting for Ecklonia Cava are an apparently anti-allergic potential that is not highly explored, and there appears to be some anti-cancer properties as well (mostly tested in regards to melanoma). Topical application of Ecklonia is one of a few compounds that can enhance hair growth, and it appears to be novel in the sense that it both inhibits androgen-induced hair loss and also directly enhances hair growth (so it, by itself, appears to be some form of combination therapy).

What else is Ecklonia Cava known as?
Ecklonia Cava should not be confused with:
  • Kava (not related to Ecklonia Cava)
Dosage information

Ecklonia Cava products appear to benefit the body in relatively low doses, with weak health benefits on blood pressure and glucose in the range of 100mg; higher doses (which would be expected when consuming the seaweed itself as a food product) confer dose-dependent responses.

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References
1.^Ahn G, Park E, Lee WW, Hyun JW, Lee KW, Shin T, Jeon YJ, Jee YEnzymatic extract from Ecklonia cava induces the activation of lymphocytes by IL-2 production through the classical NF-κB pathwayMar Biotechnol (NY).(2011 Feb)
3.^Lee DH, Park MY, Shim BJ, Youn HJ, Hwang HJ, Shin HC, Jeon HKEffects of Ecklonia cava Polyphenol in Individuals with Hypercholesterolemia: A Pilot StudyJ Med Food.(2012 Nov)
5.^Li Y, Qian ZJ, Ryu B, Lee SH, Kim MM, Kim SKChemical components and its antioxidant properties in vitro: an edible marine brown alga, Ecklonia cavaBioorg Med Chem.(2009 Mar 1)
7.^Jang J, Ye BR, Heo SJ, Oh C, Kang DH, Kim JH, Affan A, Yoon KT, Choi YU, Park SC, Han S, Qian ZJ, Jung WK, Choi IWPhoto-oxidative stress by ultraviolet-B radiation and antioxidative defense of eckstolonol in human keratinocytesEnviron Toxicol Pharmacol.(2012 Nov)
10.^Lee SH, Ko CI, Jee Y, Jeong Y, Kim M, Kim JS, Jeon YJAnti-inflammatory effect of fucoidan extracted from Ecklonia cava in zebrafish modelCarbohydr Polym.(2013 Jan 30)
11.^Ahn G, Hwang I, Park E, Kim J, Jeon YJ, Lee J, Park JW, Jee YImmunomodulatory effects of an enzymatic extract from Ecklonia cava on murine splenocytesMar Biotechnol (NY).(2008 May-Jun)
15.^Kang IJ, Jeon YE, Yin XF, Nam JS, You SG, Hong MS, Jang BG, Kim MJButanol extract of Ecklonia cava prevents production and aggregation of beta-amyloid, and reduces beta-amyloid mediated neuronal deathFood Chem Toxicol.(2011 Sep)
18.^Kim JH, Lee NS, Jeong YG, Lee JH, Kim EJ, Han SYProtective efficacy of an Ecklonia cava extract used to treat transient focal ischemia of the rat brainAnat Cell Biol.(2012 Jun)
19.^Kang SM, Cha SH, Ko JY, Kang MC, Kim D, Heo SJ, Kim JS, Heu MS, Kim YT, Jung WK, Jeon YJNeuroprotective effects of phlorotannins isolated from a brown alga, Ecklonia cava, against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in murine hippocampal HT22 cellsEnviron Toxicol Pharmacol.(2012 Jul)
20.^Jung WK, Heo SJ, Jeon YJ, Lee CM, Park YM, Byun HG, Choi YH, Park SG, Choi IWInhibitory effects and molecular mechanism of dieckol isolated from marine brown alga on COX-2 and iNOS in microglial cellsJ Agric Food Chem.(2009 May 27)
22.^Cho S, Han D, Kim SB, Yoon M, Yang H, Jin YH, Jo J, Yong H, Lee SH, Jeon YJ, Shimizu MDepressive effects on the central nervous system and underlying mechanism of the enzymatic extract and its phlorotannin-rich fraction from Ecklonia cava edible brown seaweedBiosci Biotechnol Biochem.(2012)
31.^Lee SH, Park MH, Park SJ, Kim J, Kim YT, Oh MC, Jeong Y, Kim M, Han JS, Jeon YJBioactive compounds extracted from Ecklonia cava by using enzymatic hydrolysis protects high glucose-induced damage in INS-1 pancreatic β-cellsAppl Biochem Biotechnol.(2012 Aug)
32.^Lee SH, Min KH, Han JS, Lee DH, Park DB, Jung WK, Park PJ, Jeon BT, Kim SK, Jeon YJEffects of brown alga, Ecklonia cava on glucose and lipid metabolism in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitusFood Chem Toxicol.(2012 Mar)
36.^Park E, Ahn G, Yun JS, Kim MJ, Bing SJ, Kim DS, Lee J, Lee NH, Park JW, Jee YDieckol rescues mice from lethal irradiation by accelerating hemopoiesis and curtailing immunosuppressionInt J Radiat Biol.(2010 Oct)
37.^Kang KA, Zhang R, Chae S, Lee SJ, Kim J, Kim J, Jeong J, Lee J, Shin T, Lee NH, Hyun JWPhloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene) protects against ionizing radiation-induced cell damage through inhibition of oxidative stress in vitro and in vivoChem Biol Interact.(2010 May 14)
38.^Shim SY, Quang-To L, Lee SH, Kim SKEcklonia cava extract suppresses the high-affinity IgE receptor, FcepsilonRI expressionFood Chem Toxicol.(2009 Mar)
39.^Kim SK, Lee DY, Jung WK, Kim JH, Choi I, Park SG, Seo SK, Lee SW, Lee CM, Yea SS, Choi YH, Choi IWEffects of Ecklonia cava ethanolic extracts on airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation in a murine asthma model: role of suppressor of cytokine signalingBiomed Pharmacother.(2008 Jun)
40.^Takahashi M, Satake N, Yamashita H, Tamura A, Sasaki M, Matsui-Yuasa I, Tabuchi M, Akahoshi Y, Terada M, Kojima-Yuasa AEcklonia cava polyphenol protects the liver against ethanol-induced injury in ratsBiochim Biophys Acta.(2012 Jul)
41.^Kim KC, Kang KA, Zhang R, Piao MJ, Kim GY, Kang MY, Lee SJ, Lee NH, Surh YJ, Hyun JWUp-regulation of Nrf2-mediated heme oxygenase-1 expression by eckol, a phlorotannin compound, through activation of Erk and PI3K/AktInt J Biochem Cell Biol.(2010 Feb)
42.^Kang KA, Lee KH, Park JW, Lee NH, Na HK, Surh YJ, You HJ, Chung MH, Hyun JWTriphlorethol-A induces heme oxygenase-1 via activation of ERK and NF-E2 related factor 2 transcription factorFEBS Lett.(2007 May 15)
44.^Zhang R, Lee IK, Kang KA, Piao MJ, Kim KC, Kim BJ, Lee NH, Choi JY, Choi J, Hyun JWCytoprotective effects of triphlorethol-A against formaldehyde-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis: role of mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent pathwayJ Toxicol Environ Health A.(2010)
47.^Kang C, Jin YB, Lee H, Cha M, Sohn ET, Moon J, Park C, Chun S, Jung ES, Hong JS, Kim SB, Kim JS, Kim EBrown alga Ecklonia cava attenuates type 1 diabetes by activating AMPK and Akt signaling pathwaysFood Chem Toxicol.(2010 Feb)
48.^Oh JK, Shin YO, Yoon JH, Kim SH, Shin HC, Hwang HJEffect of supplementation with Ecklonia cava polyphenol on endurance performance of college studentsInt J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab.(2010 Feb)
49.^Kang MC, Ahn G, Yang X, Kim KN, Kang SM, Lee SH, Ko SC, Ko JY, Kim D, Kim YT, Jee Y, Park SJ, Jeon YJHepatoprotective effects of dieckol-rich phlorotannins from Ecklonia cava, a brown seaweed, against ethanol induced liver damage in BALB/c miceFood Chem Toxicol.(2012 Jun)
50.^Yokogawa K, Matsui-Yuasa I, Tamura A, Terada M, Kojima-Yuasa AInhibitory effects of Ecklonia cava extract on high glucose-induced hepatic stellate cell activationMar Drugs.(2011 Dec)
52.^Kim MM, Ta QV, Mendis E, Rajapakse N, Jung WK, Byun HG, Jeon YJ, Kim SKPhlorotannins in Ecklonia cava extract inhibit matrix metalloproteinase activityLife Sci.(2006 Sep 5)
55.^Heo SJ, Ko SC, Cha SH, Kang DH, Park HS, Choi YU, Kim D, Jung WK, Jeon YJEffect of phlorotannins isolated from Ecklonia cava on melanogenesis and their protective effect against photo-oxidative stress induced by UV-B radiationToxicol In Vitro.(2009 Sep)
57.^Moldovan L, Moldovan NI, Sohn RH, Parikh SA, Goldschmidt-Clermont PJRedox changes of cultured endothelial cells and actin dynamicsCirc Res.(2000 Mar 17)
60.^Kang JI, Kim SC, Kim MK, Boo HJ, Jeon YJ, Koh YS, Yoo ES, Kang SM, Kang HKEffect of Dieckol, a Component of Ecklonia cava, on the Promotion of Hair GrowthInt J Mol Sci.(2012)
65.^Kang SM, Heo SJ, Kim KN, Lee SH, Yang HM, Kim AD, Jeon YJMolecular docking studies of a phlorotannin, dieckol isolated from Ecklonia cava with tyrosinase inhibitory activityBioorg Med Chem.(2012 Jan 1)