Fucoxanthin is a
carotenoid present in the chloroplasts of brown seaweeds. When ingested, it is metabolized mainly to
fucoxanthinol by digestive
enzymes of the gastrointestinal tract. These compounds have been shown to have many beneficial health effects, including anti-mutagenic, anti-diabetic, anti-
obesity, anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic actions. In every
cancer tested, modulatory actions of
fucoxanthinol on viability, cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis and members of the NF-κB pathway were more pronounced than that of
fucoxanthin. Anti-proliferative and
cancer preventing influences of
fucoxanthin and
fucoxanthinol are mediated through different signalling pathways, including the
caspases, Bcl-2
proteins, MAPK, PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT,
AP-1, GADD45, and several other molecules that are involved in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, anti-angiogenesis or inhibition of
metastasis. In this review, we address the mechanisms of action of
fucoxanthin and
fucoxanthinol according to different types of
cancers. Current findings suggest that these compounds could be effective for treatment and/or prevention of
cancer development and aggressiveness.