Marine sponges have been considered as a gold mine during the past 50 years, with respect to the diversity of their secondary metabolites. The biological effects of new metabolites from sponges have been reported in hundreds of scientific papers, and they are reviewed here. Sponges have the potential to provide future drugs against important diseases, such as cancer, a range of viral diseases, malaria, and inflammations. Although the molecular mode of action of most metabolites is still unclear, for a substantial number of compounds the mechanisms by which they interfere with the pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases have been reported. This knowledge is one of the key factors necessary to transform bioactive compounds into medicines. Sponges produce a plethora of chemical compounds with widely varying carbon skeletons, which have been found to interfere with pathogenesis at many different points. The fact that a particular disease can be fought at different points increases the chance of developing selective drugs for specific targets.

/pdf/marine-sponges-as-pharmacy-1k32yowllo.pdf

Marine sponges as pharmacy.

The alarming increase in the global cancer death toll has fueled the quest for new effective anti-tumor drugs thorough biological screening of both terrestrial and marine organisms. Several plant-derived alkaloids are leading drugs in the treatment of different types of cancer and many are now being tested in various phases of clinical trials. Recently, marine-derived alkaloids, isolated from aquatic fungi, cyanobacteria, sponges, algae, and tunicates, have been found to also exhibit various anti-cancer activities including anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, inhibition of topoisomerase activities and tubulin polymerization, and induction of apoptosis and cytotoxicity. Two tunicate-derived alkaloids, aplidin and trabectedin, offer promising drug profiles, and are currently in phase II clinical trials against several solid and hematologic tumors. This review sheds light on the rich array of anti-cancer alkaloids in the marine ecosystem and introduces the most investigated compounds and their mechanisms of action.

https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/16/11/9665/pdf?origin=publication_detail

A Journey Under the Sea: The Quest for Marine Anti-Cancer Alkaloids

The present review describes research on novel natural antitumor alkaloids isolated from marine invertebrates. The structure, origin, and confirmed cytotoxic activity of more than 130 novel alkaloids belonging to several structural families (indoles, pyrroles, pyrazines, quinolines, and pyridoacridines), together with some of their synthetic analogs, are illustrated. Recent discoveries concerning the current state of the potential and/or development of some of them as new drugs, as well as the current knowledge regarding their modes of action, are also summarized. A special emphasis is given to the role of marine invertebrate alkaloids as an important source of leads for anticancer drug discovery.

Alkaloids from marine invertebrates as important leads for anticancer drugs discovery and development.

Three new minor components, the pyridoacridine alkaloids 1-hydroxy- deoxyamphimedine (1), 3-hydroxy-deoxyamphimedine (2), debromopetrosamine (3), and three known compounds, amphimedine (4), neoamphimedine (5) and deoxyamphimedine (6), have been isolated from the sponge Xestospongia cf. carbonaria, collected in Palau. Structures were assigned on the basis of extensive 1D and 2D NMR studies as well as analysis by HRESIMS. Compounds 1-6 were evaluated in a zebrafish phenotype-based assay. Amphimedine (4) was the only compound that caused a phenotype in zebrafish embryos at 30 µM. No phenotype other than death was observed for compounds 1-3, 5, 6.

/pdf/evaluation-of-pyridoacridine-alkaloids-in-a-zebrafish-3vk5hc1ddw.pdf

Evaluation of pyridoacridine alkaloids in a zebrafish phenotypic assay.

This chapter begins with an introduction to the overall subject matter covered in this chapter. This is followed by a brief description of the nutraceutical products from marine flora and fauna. Spirulina, the blue-green alga that provides quick energy and nourishment and is recommended by the United Nations for consumption by malnutrished people is given special attention. Pharmaceutical products from marine flora and fauna are addressed next. In this, considering the global interest, marine natural products used as anticancer drugs are treated adequately. Immunotoxins and biotoxins in marine flora and fauna are addressed next. The chapter winds up with a discussion on detection of marine biotoxins in seafood and a conclusion section.

Oceans: Abode of Nutraceuticals, Pharmaceuticals, and Biotoxins

Neoamphimedine: A New Pyridoacridine Topoisomerase II Inhibitor which Catenates DNA.

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Neoamphimedine: A New Pyridoacridine Topoisomerase II Inhibitor which Catenates DNA.