Bladderwrack Dried Herb

Fucus vesiculosus L.

A type of seaweed, Bladderwrack is brown algae. The thallus (main stem), is harvested and used medicinally. With help from air filled pockets or bladders in the thallus bladderwack is able to float. It is due to these pockets of air that bladderwack gets it's name. algae float—thus the name bladderwrack. Bladderwack grows on the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States and on the northern Atlantic coast and Baltic coast of Europe.

Adenopathy; Arthrosis; Atherosclerosis; Asthma; Bleeding; Cancer; Cold; Constipation; Dyspepsia; Goiter; Hyperglycemia; Hypothyroidism; Morning Sickness; Myxedema; Obesity; Psoriasis; Rheumatism; Scirrhus; Scrofula; Sprain; Wound.

Alterative; Antiaggregant;  Antihypothyroid; Antiobesity; Antirheumatic; Antiseptic; Demulcent; Depurative; Emollient; Hemagglutinant; Hypoglycemic; Immunomodulator; Laxative;  Metal-Chelator; Tonic

Tea,Tincture, Extract

Class 2b, 2c, 2d. Not recommended for long-term use, especially in hyperthyroids. Commission E reports thallus not approved for therapeutic use. Other sources report thallus permitted as laxative. Usefulness is not documented adequately. There are no risks from daily doses up to 150 µg iodine per day, but higher doses may induce or exacerbate hyperthyreosis and cause hypersensitivity reactions (rarely). The adult intake of iodine should not exceed 120 microgram per day. Iodine content may cause hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. As a seaweed, bladderwack may possibly have heavy metal contamination, therefor, its use in pregnancy and lactation is to be avoided. One fraction is half as antiaggregant as heparin. High in vitro activity to mammalian digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, and trypsin). Lectin-like mucopolysaccharides modulate the immune system, inducing lymphocyte transformation. Alginic acid is a laxative.

Duke, J. A. 1985. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, Florida, CRC Press, Inc.