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, E407
Carrageenan is an indigestible polysaccharide that is extracted from red algae, and is most commonly used in food as a thickener or stabilizer. Carrageenan-containing seaweeds have been used for centuries in food preparations for their gelling properties, but the refined, isolated carrageenan found in modern processed foods has raised concerns in the health-conscious online community.
See also :

• Seaweed
• Red Algae
• Irish Moss
• Eucheuma Cottonii

Special Precautions of Carrageenan

• Cancer : There is a chemically altered (PROCESSED) 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. Most of the research on edible carrageenan side effects has been performed using animals as test subjects. Studies performed on rats, guinea pigs, and monkeys suggest that degraded carrageenan, or poligeenan, may cause ulcers in the gastro-intestinal tract and/or gastro-intestinal cancer. Some studies also show that DEGRADED carrageenan led to colon cancer in lab animals. The International Agency for Research on Cancer thus recognizes degraded carrageenan as a possible human carcinogen, and some organizations are proposing that it be removed from the list of acceptable ingredients in organic food by the USDA. In short, the currently available research indicates that degraded carrageenan probably isn’t good for you—it’s best to avoid it if possible. It can be stated with some certainty, though, that infants should not be given any dosage or type of carrageenan. Most of the carrageenan in food products, though, is undegraded, and undegraded carrageenan is considered safe by the FDA.
• If you consume it in large amounts, some carrageenan side effects include flatulence and bloating. This is due to fermentation by the intestinal microflora—nothing dangerous, just slightly unpleasant.
• 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

Despite the health concerns about Carrageenan Studies at the Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America suggest that carrageenans might function as a TOPICAL microbicide. Laboratory studies revealed a broad spectrum antiviral activity of carrageenan.

• Common Cold : Carrageenan is the first substance that has been found to actually be active against common cold viruses. Clinical studies have shown carrageenans are the first substances found to be active against common cold viruses (and not just the symptoms of the cold). Marinomed Biotechnologie, an Austrian company, conducted a study in 2010 showing that their nasal spray, which contains Carrageenan, was effective as a prophylactic treatment against the viral cause (rather than treating the symptoms) of the common cold.
• HSV : There are indications a carrageenan-based gel may offer some protection against HSV-2 transmission by binding to the receptors on the herpes virus, thus preventing the virus from binding to cells. Research has shown a carrageenan-based gel effectively prevented HSV-2 infection at a rate of 85% in a mouse model. Some personal and condom lubricants are made with carrageenan, and several of these products (such as Divine) were found to be potent HPV inhibitors in the study (though others that listed carrageenan in their ingredients were not).
• HPV : Laboratory studies have shown carrageenans are extremely potent inhibitors of HPV infection in vitro and in animal challenge models. Clinical trial results announced at the 2010 International Papillomavirus Conference held in Montreal, Canada indicate a carrageenan-based personal lubricant called Carraguard is effective for preventing HPV infection in women. The clinical results suggest the use of carrageenan-based personal lubricant products, such as Divine No 9 and BIOglide may likewise be effective for preventing HPV infection.
• HIV : A phase 3 clinical trial by the Population Council examined whether a carrageenan-based product known as Carraguard was effective as a topical microbicide for blocking HIV infection in women. The trial ran from 2004 to 2007, with more than 4,000 South African women completing the study, but found no statistical difference in infection between those having used the lubricant and those not having used the lubricant. The trial did provide information about usage patterns, however, and showed that the gel is safe at least—not increasing infection any more than the baseline or causing significant side-effects. As such, they expect to use it as a stable delivery vehicle for experimental antiretrovirals in future studies. Concurrent studies in macaques found the same carrageenan gels used in clinical trials to be effective against SIV challenge. This was in direct contrast with in vitro findings, where the compound was found to enhance HIV and SIV infections in various assays. Although compliance was believed to be one issue in clinical versus animal trials, the high viscosity and controlled nature of animal-viral inoculations (atraumatic introduction of virus using a French catheter) may be why the latter animal study observed a positive outcome.