The algae found in Bio-Algae Concentrates have a unique cell wall structure that imparts additional immune-enhancing properties. Their cell walls are made of complex polysaccharides, which have been shown to stimulate interferon production and exhibit strong anti-tumor activity. This was shown in a series of studies conducted over the last several decades.
The results of the Baojiang study, given at the Second Asia-Pacific Conference on Algal Biotechnology, 1994, concluded that polysaccharides of spirulina platensis, at the dosage of 150-300 mg/kg by injection or taken orally, can increase the percentage of T-lymphocytes in the blood. The results demonstrate that spirulina polysaccharides can improve cellular and humoral immunity.
In another study, the effects of spirulina platensis extract exposure on chicken macrophages were examined. Sephadex-elicited abdominal exudate macrophage monolayers were exposed to varying concentration (10 to 40 mcg/ml) of spirulina for 1 to 16 hours. Spirulina treated macrophages exhibited phenotypic changes in terms of increased spreading and vacuolization with minimal cytotoxicity. Percentage of phagocytic macrophages for unopsonized sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and average number of internalized SRBC was significantly higher in spirulina treated macrophages as compared to the sham treated controls. However, phagocytosis of opsonized SRBC was not affected by spirulina treatment. Macrophage cultures exposed to spirulina produced a factor in their culture supernant with tumorcidal potential which was similar in reactivity to the one produced by macrophages after exposure to lipopolysaccharide. The ability of splenic natural killer cells to kill tumor cell targets was not affected by spirulina treatment. These findings suggest that spirulina exposure enhances selected effector functions of cells of the chicken immune system after in vitro exposure.
References and Sources:
Effects of polysaccharide and phycocyanin from spirulina on peripheral blood and hematopoietic system of bone marrow in mice. by Zhang Cheng-Wu, et al.. April 1994. Nanjing Univ. China. Pub. in Proc. of Second Asia Pacific Conf. on Algal Biotech. Univ. of Malaysia. p.58. China.
Spirulina extracts enhances chicken macrophage functions after in vitro exposure. by M. Qureshi, et al. 1995. Pub. in Jour. Nutritional Immunology, No. 3 (4) 35-45. USA.
Immunostimulating activity of lipopolysaccharides from blue-green algae. by L. Besednova, et al. 1979. Pub. in Zhurnal Mikrobiologii, Epidemiologii, Immunobiologii, 56(12) pp 75-79. Russia.