A systematic review on marine-derived fucoidan as a nutritional therapeutic in periodontal disease

Abstract

Introduction: Fucoidan is a naturally occurring sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweeds such as Fucus vesiculosus, Laminaria japonica, and Undaria pinnatifida.  As a nutritive agent, fucoidan modulates tsystemic health through its bioactive components that influence metabolic, immune, and cellular functions.  Its anti-inflammatory properties have a promising role in mitigating chronic low-grade inflammation, which underlies many systemic and oral diseases.  Fucoidan is recently reported to possess significant antibacterial activity and the evidence regarding its use for periodontal diseases is scattered. Objective: Critical evaluation of the efficacy of fucoidan on periodontal pathogens using the existing evidence. Methods: Literature search was done on PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, etc, according to PRISMA guidelines. Relevant articles were collected and evidence was tabulated. Results: The collected evidence indicated that fucoidan shows multifaceted therapeutic potential regarding periodontal diseases through multiple mechanisms like modulation of microbial virulence, reduction of inflammation, and boosting host–pathogen balance. Conclusion: Fucoidan exhibited promising antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and anti-inflammatory properties against periodontal pathogens