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Guiry

Iodine and Kelps: an introduction

Guiry M

"Brown algae such as kelps and wracks are generally very high in iodine content, constituting up to 0.7 % of the wet plant weight. A dose of 1 g of kelp daily is said to provide the 0.1 to 0.2 mg of iodine required by a normal adult (Arasaki & Arasaki, 1983; Indergaard & Minsaas, 1990). Studies of iodine translocation in Laminaria have shown that distribution is unidirectional, basipetal and directed towards the meristematic region, although storage as water-soluble iodine or via organification is not understood. Diffusion, as a mechanism of transport, is unlikely as velocities of transport of 125I of 3.5 cm.h-1 have been found (Amat & Srivastava, 1985). These authors suggested that transport most probably takes place via the sieve elements in Laminaria."

"A study on Pacific seaweeds showed that kelps contained over 90% of the iodine in a water-soluble form, mainly as Iodine ions. In other Pacific algae 5.5% to 37.4% was found as organic iodine. Of the organic iodine 50% is in the form of iodo-amino acids (Hou et al., 1997). In Sargassum and Laminaria sp. thyroxin and triiodothyronine as well as monoiodotyrosine and diiodotyrosine have been found of which monoiodotyrosine reached a level of 0.1% in Sargassum (Nisizawa, 1979). Studies of Pacific seaweeds suggest that the mechanism of iodine enrichment is different for various algae and that its bioavailability also varies."

"An antitumorogenic role for seaweed has been reported (Kun 1989; Zhang 1989) while a role for Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) or its equivalent iodine content in inhibiting tumorogenesis in rats with carcinogen induced mammary tumours has been reported, although the mechanism of action is not understood (Funahashi et al. 1999). It has also been suggested that the high dietary seaweed content may account for the relatively low prevalence of breast cancer in Japanese women (Cann et al. 2000)."

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