Anticancer activity of a natural product, viva-natural, extracted from Undaria pinnantifida on intraperitoneally implanted Lewis lung carcinoma.

A natural product, named Viva-Natural, extracted from a dietary seaweed Undaria pinnantifida has been found to be therapeutically active against Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC). Viva-Natural also demonstrated moderate prophylactic activity against LLC in allogeneic mice. The active principle(s) which was concentrated in the water-insoluble fraction of Viva-Natural was essentially noncytotoxic in KB cell cultures, and probably a polysaccharide. Viva-Natural was found to be significantly effective in enhancing the natural cytolytic activity of peritoneal macrophages against KB cells as targets in in vitro assay, suggesting that the antitumor action of Viva-Natural might be indirect through the activation of nonspecific immune systems. A combination therapy of Viva-Natural and standard anticancer drugs was additively or synergistically effective.