Master ReVasca Monograph 6.2.24 - Paper - Page 6
REVASCA™ PHYSICIAN MONOGRAPH
— Why ReVasca™? — (cont.)
•
Nitric oxide production - Nitric oxide (NO) plays a crucial
role in maintaining healthy blood vessels by helping dilate
blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood
pressure. Nitric oxide is also important in the inflammatory
pathways AND can help improve performance. Nitric oxide
also plays a crucial role in both innate and adaptive immune
regulation.18 NO is produced by cells of the immune
system as a toxic defense molecule against foreign invaders. It also helps recruit immune cells to sites of infection
and helps activate these immune cells. Compounds in
ReVasca™ are reported to help improve nitric oxide levels
in the body.
— Ingredients —
Fucoidan from Seaweed
The species of brown
seaweed used in
ReVasca™ is Laminaria
japonica, with the
extract produced
being certified to have
a minimum of 85% of
the polysaccharide
compound fucoidan.
Fucoidan sulfate is a
hybrid of heparan
sulfate (HS, a widely used anticoagulant) and chondroitin
sulfate(CS). Both HS and CS are sulfated glycosaminoglycans composed of a chain of alternating sugars. Fucoidan
has a high binding affinity for heparanase (an enzyme that
breaks heparan sulfate down AND degrades the endothelial glycocalyx).
The fucoidan repairs the endothelial glycocalyx and
prevents breakdown by inhibiting heparinase activity.
Fucoidan is also anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, supports
glucose tolerance by modulating AMPK signaling and
GLUT4 activity, immunoregulatory and anti-aging. 19
Inflammation is the initial response of the immune system
to potentially harmful stimuli such as injury/trauma, stress,
metabolic issues and infections. The process involves
activation of macrophages and neutrophils, which
produce mediators including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglan-
din E2 (PGE2), pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory
cytokines.
Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions,
inflammatory bowel disease and other GUT issues,
chronic kidney disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other
neurological issues, and cardiovascular diseases are only
a part of the health conditions caused or exacerbated by
chronic inflammation (metaflammation). Fucoidan is
reported to act on different stages of the inflammatory
process: (1) blocking of lymphocyte adhesion and
invasion, (2) inhibition of multiple enzymes, and (3)
induction of apoptosis.20
As stated earlier, endothelial glycocalyx degradation is
reported common in those with COVID-19. A human
study in 2022 reported fucoidan protected the eGCX of
32 ICU patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, decreasing
inflammation and decreasing eGCX degradation and
improving health outcomes. 21
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is an amino sugar component
(glycosaminoglycan) and constitutes about 90% of the
endothelial glycocalyx. Hyaluronic Acid seems to be
associated in most of the functions described for eGCX
such as creating a space between blood and the endothelium, controlling vessel permeability, restricting
leukocyte and platelet adhesion, and allowing an appropriate endothelial response to flow variation through
mechano-sensing.22 Degradation and shedding of the
glycocalyx by enzymes, including hyaluronidase 1 and