Effects of Rhamnan Sulfate on Cholesterol Levels

A study of the effects of Rhamnan Sulfate on cholesterol levels was done and it was published in Japan's Journal of New Remedies & Clinics. Here's the summary...

Effect of Sulfated Polysaccharides Extracted from Sea Alga (Monostroma latissium and Monostroma nitidum) on Serum Cholesterol in Subjects with Borderline or Mild Hypercholesterolemia

Masakatsu Nishikawa, Masayuki Mitsui, Koji Umeda, Yoshikuni Kitaoka, Yoshie Takahashi and Shigeo Tanaka

1: The 2nd Deparment of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Mie University and Mie Clinical Trials Support Net (NPO)

2: Department of Molecular Pathology, Nara Medical University

3: KSK Laboratories, Inc.

4: Konan Chemical MFG. Co. Ltd.

Summary

To evaluate the effect of rhamnan sulfate, a type of sulfated polysaccharides extracted from two type of sea alga, Monostroma latissium and Monostroma nitidum, which are traditional Japanese foods, on serum total cholesterol levels in 16 male subjects with borderline or mild hypercholesterolemia (230 + 24 mg/dL). Test subjects ingested rhamnan sulfate for six weeks. The results of the study show that serum total cholesterol levels decreased significantly at four and six weeks after beginning ingestion. Serum LDL-cholesterol levels were also significantly decreased at six weeks after ingestion began, while the same tendency was also found at four weeks. Although various changes were found in haematological examination, blood bio-chemistry analysis, urinary analysis, values of blood pressure and number of pulse, these changes were clinically significant. These data suggest that the sea alga extract, rhamnan sulfate is a useful food element that has hypocholesterolemic effect in the human blood.

Extracted from J.New Rem. & Clin. Vol.55 No.11 2006

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