Scientists find a ‘weapon’ against cancer in the strange animal that ‘sweeps’ the seabed

A team of researchers from the University of Mississippi, Georgetown University and Ole Miss has found that sea cucumbers – also known as holothurians – could be a powerful natural source of anti-cancer compounds. According to a study published in the journal Glycobiology, a sugar extracted from the species Holothuria floridana, known as fucosylated chondroitin sulfate, has proven effective at inhibiting the Sulf-2 enzyme, which plays a direct role in the progression of several types of cancer.

Unlike other enzyme inhibitors that interfere with blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding, this marine-derived compound appears not to cause any serious side effects.

The healing power of sea cucumbers

The research, led by PhD candidate Marwa Farrag, used a combination of mass spectrometry, biochemical analysis, computer modeling, and lab testing. “Marine life produces compounds with unique structures rarely found in land vertebrates. The sugar compounds in sea cucumbers are especially distinctive,” Farrag told Glycobiology.

The study also identified other cancer-fighting agents in these creatures, including terpenoid glycosides and saponins. “Human cells are covered by forests of glycans, which enzymes trim like gardeners clipping leaves,” explained Vitor Pomin, associate professor of pharmacognosy at Georgetown and Ole Miss. “If we can inhibit this enzyme, in theory, we stop the spread of cancer,” he concluded.

But there’s a catch: sea cucumbers are scarce

Despite the promising findings, the scientists are proceeding with caution. Sea cucumbers are not widely available. Though considered a delicacy in many Pacific nations and used in cosmetics for their healing properties, there simply aren’t enough to allow for large-scale harvesting.

“One of the challenges is that we can’t just go out and harvest tons of sea cucumbers from the ocean,” said Pomin. “We need to develop a chemical method to synthesize the compound and test it in animal models.”

Regulations to avoid exploitation

In some countries, the fishing of sea cucumbers is strictly regulated. The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), for example, classifies holothurians as a species that requires explicit authorization for exploitation. According to the Holothurian Resource Management Plan prepared by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), and in line with current EU legislation (Order AAA/1505/2014 and subsequent updates), their extraction is only permitted in certain areas and under strict catch limits to prevent overexploitation.

In some regions, such as Galicia, harvesting is allowed for scientific purposes or species reintroduction, but their sale for human consumption is banned. Moreover, international demand – especially from Asian markets – has led to a rise in illegal fishing, much of it driven by the black market.

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