Fucoidan: An Update on Function, Role in Human Health and Applications

Fucoidan is a polysaccharide bioactive compound, mainly from brown algae, characterized by multiple biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, and cardioprotective properties. In addition, growing scientific evidence supports its epigenetic potential and ability to modulate autophagic mechanisms, two crucial aspects for the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases, such as cancer, inflammation, and aging. For this reason, Fucoidan is a promising candidate for a wide range of applications, both as a bioactive component of drug delivery systems in order to improve their stability, bioavailability, and potentially reduce their side effects, and as an adjuvant in drug therapies. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the correlation between properties and distinctive chemical characteristics, to underline an interesting emerging role in epigenetics and autophagy and to be a new key point for preclinical and clinical studies, in order to better understand their properties and possible new therapeutic and biomedical applications.