The efficacy and function of giant kelp

Chinese medicinal materials have good effects on the treatment of most diseases, such as giant kelp. Below we will give a basic introduction to the relevant information about giant kelp.

【Alias】Seaweed King

[Source] Medicinal material source: the algae of the giant kelp plant of the Macrophyceae family.

[Original morphology] The algae is huge, brown, up to 70-80m long, and up to more than 100m long. It has a thick rope-like stem-like lingula with 2-3 bifurcated branches growing near the base. The branches are slender, and the diameter of the stalk is about 1-2cm. It is tough and can bend. There are many leaves on the sides of the branches, in alternate or spiral leaf arrangement. The leaves are 3-5m long and 10-25cm wide. The surface is often uneven and wrinkled, and the edges have serrated protrusions. The branched terminal leaves often divide irregularly from the base to the tip to form new lateral leaves. The mature leaves have a short petiole with a spindle-shaped or spherical air sac at the base, about 2-3 cm in diameter and 5-7 cm long. The distance between leaves is 0.7-50cm, and the closer to the sea surface, the smaller the distance. The extended branches can float on the sea surface because they have many air sacs. When the alga matures, there are clusters of ribbon-shaped spore leaves at the base, which are 30-60 cm long and 2-6 cm wide. The petioles have no air sacs and the surface is large and raised due to the production of spore sori. The holdfast is large and consists of hooked, multiply dichotomously branched rhizomes.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Growing on rocks tens of meters below the low tide zone.

[Chemical composition] Contains alginate, fucoidan, laminaran, and 12 kinds of sterols, among which the higher content are: stigmasta-5,24(28)E-dien-3β-ol (43%), cholest-5-en-3β-ol (22.2%), ergosta-5,24 (28)-dien-3β-ol (13.9%). It also contains laminitol, succinic acid, glycerol, taurine and various amino acids. It also contains mannitol and alginic acid.

[Pharmacological action] Alginate, fucoidan and laminarin in giant kelp may have anti-tumor effects and cytotoxicity, and may also have a certain response to humoral immunity.

【Functions and indications】Relieve angina pectoris. Mainly for high cholesterol, hypertension and arteriosclerosis, tracheitis, asthma, etc.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 15-30g; or as food.

[Additional prescription] It is named after its huge algae.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Now you know the function of giant kelp. We didn’t know that giant kelp was such a valuable thing before, which shows that our knowledge is not broad enough. So in the future life, learning more about it can be a good way to maintain health. In fact, if you want to maintain health, there is knowledge everywhere in life.