Prevention of cardiovascular disease through modulation of endothelial cell function by dietary seaweed intake

Seaweed is consumed as part of the traditional diet in Southeast Asia and has been shown to have the potential to prevent several chronic diseases. Recent studies have focused on the relationships between the components contained in seaweed and their usefulness for the treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This review describes the protective effects of seaweed components on vascular endothelial cell damage and its prophylactic role against CVD. Information on clinical trials (e.g., randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses) was obtained from PubMed, Science Direct, and Web of Science, by searching for studies on the usefulness of seaweed consumption by humans and seaweed constituents. In addition, the CVD-related effects of the components contained in seaweed were analyzed based on information from cellular and animal models. Seaweed has been shown to have preventive effects on CVDs, such as arteriosclerosis and hypertension. Furthermore, researchers have clarified the mechanisms through which the components contained in seaweed prevent damage to vascular endothelial cells and alleviate arteriosclerosis, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. In particular, fucoidan, fucoxanthin, astaxanthin, and phlorotannin have been shown to exert potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, thereby contributing to CVD prevention by protecting vascular endothelial cells. Components contained in seaweed may prevent damage to vascular endothelial cells and block the development of CVD. The protective effects of the components contained in these seaweeds against vascular endothelial dysfunction suggest that consumption of seaweed may have applications in the prevention of CVDs.