Fucus vesiculosus

Fucus vesiculosus also known as "bladderwrack" is a brown alga that occurs in many parts of the oceans.
It has been traditionally used as a food for centuries, especially in Ireland, Scotland and Great Britain.
Because of its many nutrients, it can also be used as a fertilizer in the form of mulch, which is added directly to the soil, or as part of compost.

But bladderwrack is not only interesting for humans and plants, but also for animals. Thanks to the micro-nutrients, it is ideal as an additive for animal feed^{[8, 9]}.

Apart from its nutrients, bladderwrack can also be used for medical purposes. For example, it is recognised by the European Medicines Agency as an aid to weight reduction^[7].

Fucus vesiculosus, is also used in cosmetics to soften dark circles under the eyes and reduce signs of fatigue^[5]. Bladderwrack also has a skin tightening effect, which gives the skin an overall younger appearance^{[3, 4, 5]}. For example, the cosmetics company Gallinée has developed a special cream based on Fucus vesiculosus.

The liquid is usually used in the production of cosmetics.

This product is available in the following forms of liquid extracts: 

• Glycerin extract
• Water-glycerin extract

The product is also available as powder.

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Typical applications in the cosmetics industry:

Fucus vesiculosus contains alginic acid, which can help soothe irritated skin as it has anti-inflammatory properties^[4]. It can be used in moisturizers and make the skin look more relaxed and younger.

By improving elasticity and refreshing the skin's appearance, Fucus vesiculosus works well as an ingredient in anti-aging cosmetics^[5].

Like many other macroalgae, Fucus vesiculosus acts as an antioxidant and helps protect the skin from free radicals and oxidative stress^{[3, 4]}.

 

 

Sources:

1. Fucus vesiculosus - M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 30 October 2024. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. (https://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=87)
2. Fucus vesiculosus - WIkipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fucus_vesiculosus)
3. Hermund DB, Torsteinsen H, Vega J, Figueroa FL, Jacobsen C. Screening for New Cosmeceuticals from Brown Algae Fucus vesiculosus with Antioxidant and Photo-Protecting Properties. Mar Drugs. 2022 Oct 31;20(11):687. doi: 10.3390/md20110687. PMID: 36355010; PMCID: PMC9697279. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36355010/)
4. Muñoz-Quintana M, Padrón-Sanz C, Dolbeth M, Arenas F, Vasconcelos V, Lopes G. Revealing the Potential of Fucus vesiculosus Linnaeus for Cosmetic Purposes: Chemical Profile and Biological Activities of Commercial and Wild Samples. Mar Drugs. 2024 Dec 4;22(12):548. doi: 10.3390/md22120548. PMID: 39728123; PMCID: PMC11677001. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39728123/)
5. Chavan M, Sun Y, Litchauer J, Denis A. Fucus extract: cosmetic treatment for under-eye dark circles. J Cosmet Sci. 2014 Mar-Apr;65(2):103-13. PMID: 24797026. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24797026/)
6. Fujimura T, Tsukahara K, Moriwaki S, Kitahara T, Sano T, Takema Y. Treatment of human skin with an extract of Fucus vesiculosus changes its thickness and mechanical properties. J Cosmet Sci. 2002 Jan-Feb;53(1):1-9. PMID: 11917251. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11917251/)
7. European Union herbal monographs: Overview of recommendations for the uses of herbal medicinal products in the paediatric population. Last update: March 2023 (https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/other/european-union-herbal-monographs-overview-recommendations-uses-herbal-medicinal-products-paediatric-population_en.pdf)
8. Buryakov NP, Zaikina AS, Trukhachev VI, Buryakova MA, Kosolapova VG, Nikonov IN, Medvedev IK, Fathala MM, Aleshin DE. Influence of Dietary Addition of Mineral Shungite and Fucus vesiculosus on Production Performance, Egg Quality, Nutrients Digestibility, and Immunity Status of Laying Hens. Animals (Basel). 2023 Oct 11;13(20):3176. doi: 10.3390/ani13203176. PMID: 37893901; PMCID: PMC10603752. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37893901/)
9. Thorsteinsson M, Chassé É, Curtasu MV, Battelli M, Bruhn A, Hellwing ALF, Weisbjerg MR, Nielsen MO. Potential of 2 northern European brown seaweeds (Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus) as enteric methane inhibitors in dairy cows. J Dairy Sci. 2024 Dec;107(12):10628-10640. doi: 10.3168/jds.2024-24988. Epub 2024 Jul 26. PMID: 39067754. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39067754/)
10. Shi C, Zhao S, Mi L, Niu D, Hu F, Han W, Li B. Fucoidan MF4 from Fucus vesiculosus inhibits Lewis lung cancer via STING-TBK1-IRF3 pathway. Int J Biol Macromol. 2024 May;267(Pt 1):131336. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131336. Epub 2024 Apr 5. PMID: 38583840. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38583840/)
11. Wang L, Oliveira C, Li Q, Ferreira AS, Nunes C, Coimbra MA, Reis RL, Martins A, Wang C, Silva TH, Feng Y. Fucoidan from Fucus vesiculosus Inhibits Inflammatory Response, Both In Vitro and In Vivo. Mar Drugs. 2023 May 17;21(5):302. doi: 10.3390/md21050302. PMID: 37233496; PMCID: PMC10221219. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37233496/)