In vitro anticancer effects of fucoidan and methanol extract from the fucoidan added kochujang (Korean red pepper soybean paste) during the preparation were evaluated in AGS human gastric and HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells by MTT assay. The fucoidan showed no toxicity between 1∼5 mg/ml in normal 3T3L1 cells. However, it revealed higher growth inhibitory effect on AGS and HT-29 human cancer cells. At the level of 1 mg/ml, more than 75% of the growth was inhibited in the human cancer cells. In order to investigate the enhanced anticancer effect by the addition of fucoidan, the kochujang samples were prepared by mixing red pepper powder, fermented wheat grain products and 0.5% and 3% fucoidan. The fucoidan added kochujang increased anticancer activities in AGS and HT-29 human cancer cells. Addition of the fucoidan during the kochujang preparation significantly reduced the growth of the cancer cells (p＜0.05), and the inhibition patterns were almost same in both cancer cells. (Cancer Prev Res 10, 264-269, 2005)

Keywords: Kochujang, Fucoidan, Anticancer effect, MTT assay