Exploring the ocean for new drug developments: Marine pharmacology

Abstract

Disease ailments are changing the patterns, and the new diseases are emerging due to changing environments. The enormous growth of world population has overburdened the existing resources for the drugs. And hence, the drug manufacturers are always on the lookout for new resources to develop effective and safe drugs for the increasing demands of the world population. Seventy-five percentage of earth's surface is covered by water but research into the pharmacology of marine organisms is limited, and most of it still remains unexplored. Marine environment represents countless and diverse resource for new drugs to combat major diseases such as cancer or malaria. It also offers an ecological resource comprising a variety of aquatic plants and animals. These aquatic organisms are screened for antibacterial, immunomodulator, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, analgesic, and antimalarial properties. They are used for new drug developments extensively across the world. Marine pharmacology offers the scope for research on these drugs of marine origin. Few institutes in India offer such opportunities which can help us in the quest for new drugs. This is an extensive review of the drugs developed and the potential new drug candidates from marine origin along with the opportunities for research on marine derived products. It also gives the information about the institutes in India which offer marine pharmacology related courses.

Marine Organisms with Anti-Diabetes Properties

“…Inhibitory effects on the enzyme PTP1B have been reported for a polybromodiphenyl ether from the Indonesian marine sponge Lamellodysidea herbacea [75] and for the terpene Dysidine, from the sponge Dysidea sp. [23,76], that has recently entered pre-clinical trials for the treatment of type-2 diabetes [23]. Dysidine was found for the first time in a sponge at Lahdu (Santo) in Vanuatu in June 1996, identified as sponge Dysidea sp.…”

“…In addition, the cytotoxicity test against Hela cell line (from Homo sapiens cervix) showed no toxicity for this compound [78]. Malve et al [23] reported this compound in preclinical studies and to our knowledge it is not yet in clinical trials.…”

“…There are also examples of marine compounds such as Ziconotide (Prialt ® ), isolated from the cone snail Conus magus , for the treatment of severe and chronic pain [21] and Vidarabine (Ara-A), from the sponge Tethya crypta [22] to treat herpes simplex infections. Interestingly, there is now also a terpene (Dysidine) extracted from the sponge Dysidea villosa that has entered preclinical trials for the treatment of diabetes [23]. Hence, there is great scope in the future to screen for anti-diabetic compounds from marine organisms.…”

Management of Alzheimers Disease: Role of Existing Therapies, Traditional Medicines and New Treatment Targets

“…Marine-derived drugs like homotaurine, bryostatin, cytarabine, trabectedin, eribulin, and ziconotide have shown beneficial effects in neurodegenerative diseases, that included AD [116,117] . Some of these drugs have entered clinical studies [116,117] .…”

“…Some of these drugs have entered clinical studies [116,117] . Currently clinical trials evaluating the role of Bry-1 (bryostatin) and homotaurine in management of AD have been in progress [116,117] .…”