Shark cartilage
Cartilage is an avascularized tissue and has been studied as a potential candidate containing anti-angiogenic factors. It is also a tissue that is relatively resistant to tumor development. Animal cartilage is a unique source of protein, characterized by its anti-angiogenic capability to inhibit endothelial cell migration and proliferation and blood vessel generation, in contrast to the many known pro-angiogenic proteins, such as FGF and other growth factors that promote endothelial cell proliferation and migration. It is readily available from mammals, such as shark, in great abundance. Sharks are a potential source of this kind of angiogenesis inhibitor because their endoskeleton is composed entirely of cartilage. Sharks have a low propensity for tumor development. Shark cartilage liquid extracts have been tested in various assays and they comprise anti-angiogenic, anti-collagenolytic, direct anti-tumor proliferating and anti-inflammatory activities. Angiogenesis (or neovascularization) is the formation of new blood vessels. Angiogenesis is one of the important factors in the development of a tumor. Many biological processes may depend on the activation of angiogenesis or on the inhibition of angiogenesis. For example, as new blood vessel formation is required by solid tumours for growth, angiogenesis inhibition is an attractive strategy for the treatment of cancer. It has been demonstrated that cartilage extracts inhibit angiogenesis when implanted adjacent to tumours. Shark Cartilage may inhibit the growth of blood vessels that feed cancerous tumors. This may cut off the nutrition to the tumor and therefore may not allow the tumor to continue to grow and mutate and to therefore die. Shark cartilage reduces psoriatic plaque vascularization. It inhibits the proliferation of endothelial cells, competitively blocking the endothelial growth factor at the receptor level. It also inhibits tyrosine EGF and EGF-2 dependant phosphorylation as well as the increase of FCE induced permeability. Shark cartilage also induces endothelial cell apoptosis and the liberation of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm. Shark cartilage also induces fibrinolitic activity by increasing the secretion, activity and affinity of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for endothelial cells. Shark cartilage is comprised principally of calcium salts, protein and polysaccharide material. It is further known that a substantial portion of the polysaccharide material is in the form of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). The principal GAG in cartilage is chondroitin sulphate. The oral consumption of dried powdered shark cartilage has been widely promoted as a natural health remedy for the treatment of cancer. Powdered whole cartilage from bovine trachea and soluble bovine cartilage extracts have also been used to treat a variety of diseases which involve angiogenesis, such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Chondroitin and glucosamine are chondroprotective agents used for the treatment of osteoarthritis and related diseases. Chondroitin sulfate is a soluble mucopolysaccharide derived from bovine, ovine or shark cartilage. Chondroitin sulfate derived from marine life, such as cartilage isolated from sharks, provides a rich, pure, and readily absorbed source of chondroitin.
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