Achievements in the Study of Marine Low‐Molecular Weight Biologically Active Metabolites from the Vietnamese Territorial Waters as a Result of Expeditions aboard the Research Vessel ‘Akademik Oparin’ (2004–2017)

Abstract

Until 2004, the secondary metabolites of marine organisms of the Vietnamese territorial waters had been studied very poorly. Only four new compounds were isolated from 1977 to 2003. Joint Russian‐Vietnamese expeditions aboard the research vessel ‘Akademik Oparin’ made it possible to study in detail the chemical diversity of marine micro‐ and macroorganisms. As a result of five expeditions, more than 250 low‐molecular weight natural compounds, including 117 new metabolites, were isolated from marine invertebrates and microfilamentous fungi. Their biological activities, such as cytotoxic, cytoprotective, and antioxidant activities, were investigated. Information about the structure and biological activity of the compounds, the source for their isolation and the geographical location of the objects is summarized in this review.

Different Macrophage Type Triggering as Target of the Action of Biologically Active Substances from Marine Invertebrates

“…Thereby, a number of natural compounds of plant origin were described to be potent for macrophage reprogramming in the last decade [25], but little is known about such substances from marine hydrobionts, in particular, invertebrates. A vast number of marine bioactive compounds were discovered in the last five decades [26,27], and their number is increasing with the development of new methods and instruments of the ocean research and new discoveries especially due to deep-sea studies during the last few years [28]. For years, a number of crude extracts and pure compounds were tested for bioactivities, first of all, for their presumable anti-inflammatory properties, using the markers of inflammation.…”