Trial reportBMC complementary and alternative medicine2002
GFS, a preparation of Tasmanian Undaria pinnatifida is associated with healing and inhibition of reactivation of Herpes.
Trial report in BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2002. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Brown Seaweed Food Supplementation: Effects on Allergy and Inflammation and Its Consequences.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Fucoidan fromResearch and reports in urology · 2026Trial
- Supplementation of elderly Japanese men and women with fucoidan from seaweed increases immune responses to seasonal influenza vaccination.The Journal of nutrition · 2013Trial
- The effect of Fucus vesiculosus, an edible brown seaweed, upon menstrual cycle length and hormonal status in three pre-menopausal women: a case report.BMC complementary and alternative medicine · 2004Trial
- In Vitro Antiviral Effects of Green-Lipped Mussel Oil and Low-Molecular-Weight Fucoidan on HSV, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2 Pseudovirus.Biomedicines · 2026Article
- Algae and Algal Protein in Human Nutrition: A Narrative Review of Health Outcomes from Clinical Studies.Nutrients · 2026Review
- Anti-Inflammatory and Neuroprotective Effects ofMarine drugs · 2025Review
- Neuroprotective and Anti-Inflammatory Activity ofMarine drugs · 2025Article
- Fucoidan fromMarine drugs · 2024Article
- Fucoidan Ameliorates Testosterone-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) in Rats.Research and reports in urology · 2024Article
- Sulfated Galactofucans: An Outstanding Class of Fucoidans with Promising Bioactivities.Marine drugs · 2022Review
- Antiherpetic Effect of Topical Formulations Containing Sulfated Polysaccharide fromIndian journal of microbiology · 2019Article
- Fucoidan and cancer: a multifunctional molecule with anti-tumor potential.Marine drugs · 2015Review
- Bioactive activities of natural products against herpesvirus infection.Journal of microbiology (Seoul, Korea) · 2013Review
- In vivo anti-herpes simplex virus activity of a sulfated derivative of Agaricus brasiliensis mycelial polysaccharide.Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy · 2013Article
- Dietary algae and HIV/AIDS: proof of concept clinical data.Journal of applied phycology · 2012Article
- Therapies from fucoidan; multifunctional marine polymers.Marine drugs · 2011Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWe sought to assess whether GFS, a proprietary preparation of Tasmanian Undaria pinnatifida, has effects on healing or re-emergence of Herpetic infections, and additionally, to assess effects of GFS in vitro. Undaria is the most commonly eaten seaweed in Japan, and contains sulphated polyanions and other components with potential anti-viral activity. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections have lower reactivation rates and Herpes type 2 (HSV-2) infections have lower incidence in Japan than in the west.
methodsPatients with active (15 subjects) or latent (6 subjects) Herpetic infections (HSV-1, 2, EBV, Zoster) were monitored for response to ingestion of GFS. GFS extract was tested in vitro for human T cell mitogenicity and anti-Herpes activity.
resultsIngestion of GFS was associated with increased healing rates in patients with active infections. In addition, patients with latent infection remained asymptomatic whilst ingesting GFS. GFS extract inhibited Herpes viruses in vitro and was mitogenic to human T cells in vitro.
conclusionsIngestion of GFS has inhibitory effects on reactivation and is associated with increased rate of healing after Herpetic outbreaks. GFS extract potently inhibited Herpes virus in vitro, and had mitogenic effects on human T cells.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.