Abstract: BACKGROUND ＆ AIM: To investigate biological characteristics of four seaweeds extracts through immunoregulating test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Effects of the four seaweed's extracts on proliferation of spleen cells of mice were analyzed by 3H-TdR in corporation methods. Effects of the four marine algae on stimulating tumor necrosis factor -α(TNF-α)secretion from mice monocytes were examined by a biology method. RESULTS: All of the four seaweeds extracts had effects of promoting proliferation of spleen cells of mice, but the promotive effect was different among the four seaweeds. In vitro test, four seaweeds extracts could activate mice monocytes to produce more TNF-α. CONCLUSION: The present study indicates that four seaweeds have the effects of promoting the proliferation of mice spleen cells, and can induce mice monocytes to produce TNF-α.

Key words: seaweed, proliferation of lymphocytes, monocyte, tumor necrosis factor