Carrageenan

Other Names: Algas, Algue Rouge Marine, Carrageen, Carrageenin, Carragenano, Carragenina, Carragheenan, Carraghénane, Carraghénine, Chondrus crispus, Chondrus Extract, Euchema species, Extrait de Mousse d’Irlande, Galgarine, Gigartina chamissoi, Gigartina mamillosa, Gigartina skottsbergii, Irish Moss Algae, Irish Moss Extract, Mousse d'Irlande, Red Marine Algae.
Carrageenan is made from parts of various red algae or seaweeds and is used for medicine.
See also :

• Seaweed
• Irish Moss
• Eucheuma Cottonii

Special Precautions of Carrageenan

• Carrageenan is safe for most people in food amounts. There is a chemically altered form of carrageenan that is available in France to treat peptic ulcers. This form might be UNSAFE because there's some evidence that it might cause cancer.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Carrageenan is safe in amounts found in food, but there's not enough information to know if it's safe in the larger amounts that are used as medicine. It’s best to stay on the safe side and avoid use in medicinal amounts.
• Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with CARRAGEENAN
• Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs) interacts with CARRAGEENAN
• Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with CARRAGEENAN

Benefits and uses of Carrageenan are

Carrageenan contains chemicals that may decrease stomach and intestinal secretions. Large amounts of carrageenan seem to pull water into the intestine, and this may explain why it is tried as a laxative. Carrageenan also might decrease pain and swelling (inflammation).

Used for

• Cough.
• Bronchitis.
• Tuberculosis.
• Weight loss.
• Constipation.
• Peptic ulcers.
• Intestinal problems.
• Some people apply carrageenan directly to the skin for discomfort around the anus.