Finding chemo: the search for marine-based pharmaceutical drugs active against cancer

Abstract

Objectives Cancer affects the health of many people globally. The most common treatment that is used for cancer is chemotherapy, which has shown promising results but not without side effects. Some of these side effects jeopardise further treatment, and this eventually leads to advanced stages of malignancy and mortality. As a result, there is a need for better and safer anticancer compounds such as those found naturally. One of the most abundant natural environments to find such compounds is the sea, and this vast resource has been biomined since the 1950s. Key findings There are currently three marine anticancer agents marketed (Yondelis, Cytosar-U and Halaven), with several others undergoing clinical trials. This review discusses marine-derived products in clinical use and in clinical trials, and discusses available literature on the growth suppression or pro-apoptotic properties of these compounds, and the molecular mechanisms underpinning these cell biological phenomena. Summary The marine environment may hold promising anticancer compounds within its depths, warranting further research to be performed in this area, albeit with respect for the natural ecosystems that are being explored for drug discover and subsequently used for drug development.

A Deep Insight on the Causative Agents Symptoms and Cure for Skin Cancer: A Review

“…Only there are four anti-cancer drugs of marine origin have reached the market so far. These drugs are trabectedin, cytarabine, eribulin mesylate and brentuximab vedotin, derived from Cryptotethia crypta, Ecteinascidia turbinate, and Symploca hydnoides, respectively 36,37 . Also, some other examples of marine-derived compounds are there like Aplidin, bryostatin-1, salinosporamide and zalypsis that are currently undergoing clinical trials for potential use as anticancer drugs 38 .…”

Differential Cytotoxic Effects of Jaspine B in Various Cancer Cells

“…Cancer is a constant and major burden to humanity as current cancer chemotherapy and surgery are not completely successful [5]. In recent years, various herbal medicines have emerged as potential alternatives to current anticancer drugs.…”

“…It was derived from spongothymidine, which was isolated from the sponge Cryototethia crypta [19]. Yondelis, isolated from Ecteinascidia turbinate, was approved for clinical use in metastatic soft tissue carcinoma and ovarian cancer in 2009 in Europe [5]. Another approved marine-based drug is Halaven, an analogue of halichondrin B, extracted from the sea sponge Halichondria okadai [11], and was approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in 2010 from FDA.…”

“…Another approved marine-based drug is Halaven, an analogue of halichondrin B, extracted from the sea sponge Halichondria okadai [11], and was approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in 2010 from FDA. Besides these three marine anti-cancer agents currently being marketed, several marine products and their derivatives such as aplidin, bryostatin-1, and zalypsis are undergoing phase II and III clinical trials [5]. Jaspine B (pachastrissamine) is an anhydrophytosphingosine, which is extracted from Marine sponge, Pachastrissa spp.…”

“…The safety of many herbs has been demonstrated by their long and continuous history of dietary use, making some natural compounds ideal candidates for chemotherapy. One of the most abundant source for natural compound is the sea, which has been biomined since the 1950s [5].…”