Shark Derivatives

Scientific Name(s): Sphyrna lewini (Hammerhead Shark), Squalus acanthias (spiny dogfish shark)
Common Name(s): Hammerhead shark, Shark cartilage, Spiny dogfish shark

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 21, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Shark cartilage has been investigated for use in treating cancer; however, data are mixed and conflicting. Shark cartilage has been used to treat psoriasis and for its anti-inflammatory effects in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Dosing

General: Commercial doses range from 0.5 to 4.5 g/day, given in 2 to 6 divided doses. Oral shark cartilage preparations should be taken on an empty stomach, and acidic fruit juices should be avoided for 15 to 30 minutes before and after administration.

Cancer: 80 to 100 g/day or 1 to 1.3 g/kg/day of ground extract in 2 to 4 divided doses. Doses of the shark cartilage derivative AE-941 (Nevostat), used in clinical trials, have ranged from 30 to 240 mL/day or 20 mg/kg twice daily. In one trial, a liquid shark cartilage extract was dosed at 7 and 21 mL daily. In patients with incurable breast and colorectal cancer, a powder formulation (BeneFin) was initially dosed at 24 g/day and titrated upward every 3 days to a target dose of 96 g/day, administered in divided doses 3 to 4 times a day.

Joint diseases: 0.2 to 2 g/kg/day in 2 to 3 divided doses.

Psoriasis: 0.4 to 0.5 g/kg/day for 4 weeks, with dosage reduced to 0.2 to 0.3 g/kg/day for 4 additional weeks if skin lesions improve. Topical preparations containing shark cartilage 5% to 30% are also available.

Contraindications

Use with caution, if at all, in patients with coronary artery disease and peripheral artery disease because of the anti-angiogenic effects of shark cartilage. Due to concerns regarding hypercalcemia, use caution in patients with renal disease, cardiac arrhythmias, or cancer; monitoring is recommended.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

Coadministration of shark cartilage with other drugs (eg, calcium supplements, thiazide diuretics) may increase calcium levels.

Adverse Reactions

The most commonly reported adverse effects are mild to moderate and include GI distress, nausea, and taste alterations. Cases of allergic occupational asthma from shark cartilage dust have been reported, and hypercalcemia has occurred in cancer patients. A case of hepatitis has also been reported.

Toxicology

In an analysis of calcium supplements in Korea, shark cartilage–containing calcium supplements were among the highest in mercury and cadmium content, with levels that could be toxic in pediatric and elderly populations. In another study testing 16 shark cartilage products, 15 of the 16 contained beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), a neurotoxin found in the fins of several species of shark and potentially linked to degenerative brain disease; mercury content was low in these shark fin products. Caution should be used.

History

Shark cartilage is prepared from the cartilage of freshly caught sharks in the Pacific Ocean, predominantly from the spiny dogfish shark (S. acanthias) and the hammerhead shark (S. lewini).1 One of the main processing plants for dogfish shark is in Costa Rica. The cartilage is cut from the shark, cleaned, shredded, and dried. The finely ground cartilage is uniformly pulverized in a 200 mesh screen, sterilized, and encapsulated. Gelatin capsules contain shark cartilage 740 mg, usually without additives or fillers, and are claimed to be "all natural." Shark cartilage is also available in 200 and 500...