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Shark liver oil

Shark liver oil is used for the production of medicine. It is extracted from the liver of three shark species: Deep-sea shark (Centrophorus squamosus), spiny dogfish (Sqaulus acanthias) and basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus). The liver makes up around 25% of the total body weight of these shark species. Shark liver oil is used in conjunction with anti-cancer drugs to treat leukemia and other cancers, to prevent radiation sickness after radiation therapy for cancer, to prevent influenza and to promote immune system function. It is also used to increase white blood cell counts during chemotherapy for cancer. White blood cells are important for fighting infection, but are largely destroyed by chemotherapy. Some people apply shark liver oil directly to the skin for skin conditions including skin cancer.

How does shark liver oil work?

Shark liver oil contains chemicals that may have anti-cancer activity or side effects of cancer treatment.

How effective is shark liver oil?

There is not enough scientific data to make a statement about the effectiveness of shark liver oil for flu, colds, skin problems and leukemia or other cancers, as well as its use to reduce side effects of cancer treatment including radiation sickness and reduced white blood cell count. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of shark liver oil in these applications.

Safety and side effects

There is not enough information available to make a statement about the safety and harmlessness of shark liver oil. Shark liver oil can cause pneumonia in people who accidentally inhale it into the lungs.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of shark liver oil during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid shark liver oil.

Interactions

There is currently no information on interactions between shark liver oil and medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of shark liver oil depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At this time, there is insufficient scientific data to determine appropriate dosage ranges for shark liver oil. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Asnis DS, Saltzman HP, Melchert A. Shark oil pneumonia. An overlooked entity. Chest 1993;103:976-7.
  2. Hasle H, Rose C. [Shark liver oil (alkoxyglycerol) and cancer treatment]. Ugeskr Laeger 1991;153:343-6.
  3. Hichami A, Duroudier V, Leblais V, et al. Modulation of platelet-activating-factor production by incorporation of naturally occurring 1-O-alkylglycerols in phospholipids of human leukemic monocyte-like THP-1 cells. Eur J Biochem 1997;250:242-8.
  4. Lee JS, Im JG, Song KS, et al. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia: high-resolution CT findings. Eur Radiol 1999;9:287-91.
  5. Lee JY, Lee KS, Kim TS, et al. Squalene-induced extrinsic lipoid pneumonia: serial radiologic findings in nine patients. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1999;23:730-5.
  6. Loftsson T, Petersen DS, Le Goffic F, Olafsson JH. Unsaturated glycerol monoethers as novel skin penetration enhancers. Pharmacy 1997;52:463-5.
  7. Skopinska-Rozewska E, Krotkiewski M, Sommer E, et al. Inhibitory effect of shark liver oil on cutaneous angiogenesis induced in Balb/c mice by syngeneic sarcoma L-1, human urinary bladder and human kidney tumor cells. Oncol Rep 1999;6:1341-4.