We all know that the ocean is a huge mass of water which covers about 70 percent of the total surface of earth. Ocean provides a lot of benefits to us. It absorbs carbon dioxide from the environment and releases oxygen, absorbs excess heat reaching the earth and regulates climate, provides trade routes and livelihoods, and it provides large amounts of food and useful substances. Humans utilize ocean resources from historic times for fishing, food, collecting valuable things like pearls etc but one limiting factor was that they cannot reach deeper into the ocean. By the advent of newer techniques and machinery now scientists are exploring the ocean more effectively. These researches are eventually leading to the invention of a large number of newer medicines from the ocean.
Search for newer medicine is increasing nowadays because of development of newer diseases and resistance observed to older medicines. Exploring the ocean for medicines is a comparatively newer strategy and only started in the last decades of the 20th century because of the limited access of humans to the deep sea in the early days. Invention of technologies like self contained scuba apparatus helped researchers to go deep and collect samples.
Nowadays a number of newer medicines from the ocean have got FDA approval and many others are waiting for approval. Greater advantage of research for medicines from the ocean is that only a small portion is explored and a greater portion remains unexplored.
Major hurdles in this field is that the conditions in the deep sea like high atmospheric pressure makes it difficult to reach there and collect samples. Another challenge is that it is not easy to make culture of organisms obtained from the ocean.
We can discuss some important medicines from the ocean source.
- Cytarabine ( Ara C )
Cytarabine is an anticancer drug isolated from the Caribbean sponge Cryptotheca crypta. It was first isolated in 1959 by scientists from University of California, and approved by FDA in 1969. It is considered the first commercially successful medicine from the ocean.
Cytarabine is used for different types of leukemia and lymphoma including acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma etc. Cytarabine produces its action by interfering with the formation of DNA and RNA in cancer cells and eventually killing the cells.
Brand names: Cytosar-U, Tarabine PFS
- Vidarabine ( Ara A )
Vidarabine is an antiviral drug isolated from the Caribbean sponge Tethya crypta in 1960. It obtained FDA approval in 1976.
It is a very effective antiviral drug used in the treatment of different types of viral infections including herpes viruses, poxviruses, rhabdoviruses, hepadnaviruses and some RNA tumor viruses. Ophthalmic ointment made using 3% vidarabine is superior to most other treatments for acute keratoconjunctivitis.
Its mechanism of action is by interfering with RNA and DNA in viral cells.
Brand name: Vira-A
- Ziconotide
Ziconotide is a powerful analgesic medicine from ocean sources. It is isolated from the toxin of the cone snail Conus magus. Ziconotide was discovered in the 1980s by scientists at the University of Utah and approved by USFDA in 2004. It is a strong analgesic drug, which is considered 1000 times stronger than Morphine.
Ziconotide acts by blocking N type Voltage gated calcium channels. It is used for the control of severe pain caused by cancer, AIDS etc. it is used in conditions where other analgesic treatments are not effective. Major limitation for the Ziconotide treatment is that it is only effective if administered as intra thecal injection.
Brand name: Prialt
- Omega 3 acid ethyl esters
Omega 3 acid ethyl esters are a mixture of eicosapentaenoic acid-ethyl ester (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid-ethyl ester (DHA) obtained from body oil of several fishes. It is used along with proper dieting and exercise to lower triglycerides level in blood. It also increases HDL level and protects the heart from failure.
Brand names: Lovaza, Vascazen, Omtryg
- Eribulin mesylate
Eribulin mesylate is an anticancer drug derived from halichondrin B, a substance obtained from a marine sponge Halichondria okadai. It obtained FDA approval in 2016.
It is used in the treatment of Metastatic breast cancer and Liposarcoma.
It produces its action by interfering with cell division by disrupting the microtubular network in the cell.
Brand name: Halaven
- Trabectedin
Trabectedin is another anti cancer medicine from ocean sources. It is isolated from the Caribbean marine tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata. It was approved by the FDA in 2010. It is used for the treatment of advanced soft tissue sarcoma and Ovarian cancer.
Trabectedin is an alkylating agent, it binds to DNA and produces functional changes to it.
Brand name: Yondelis
- Plitidepsin
Plitidepsin is a chemical compound having antiviral and anticancer properties. It is obtained from sea squirts Aplidium albicans. Plitidepsin exhibits antitumor, antiviral and immunosuppressant activities. It is used for different types of cancers including multiple myeloma, leukemia and lymphoma.
Nowadays plitidepsin became important because of finding its antiviral effects against coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
Brand name: Aplidine.
- Lurbinectedin
Lurbinectedin is an analogue of marine derived agent trabectedin, which is obtained from tunicate Ecteinascidia turbinata. It possesses anticancer activities and is used for the treatment of small cell lung cancer. It is approved by the FDA in 2020.
Brand name: Zepzelca.
- Tetrodotoxin
Tetrodotoxin is a toxic substance obtained from body parts of some fishes like Pufferfish, globe fish, shellfish, some octopus species etc. Tetrodotoxin is a sodium channel blocker. It interferes with the action potential in nerve cell membranes and blocks nerve signals.
Actually people from ancient times have known about the medicinal properties of toxins from puffer fish and they have used it for several purposes. The toxin was isolated in 1909 by Japanese scientist Dr. Yoshizumi Tahara.
Now it is widely studied for its usefulness in the management of severe pains like cancer pain, migraine pain etc.
Brand name: Tectin
- Plinabulin
Plinabulin is another anticancer medicine from ocean sources. It is in the phase III stage of clinical study. It is a selective immunomodulating microtubule binding agent. It can be used for brain tumors and some lung cancers.
- GTS-2 ( DMXBA )
DMXBA is an alkaloid obtained from certain marine worms. Scientists found that it can improve cognitive functions associated with schizophrenia in humans. It can also be used in Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders etc. It is currently in the clinical trial.
- Bryostatin
Bryostatin is medicine from the ocean organism Bugula neritina. This compound claims to have usefulness in cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. It is in clinical study stages.
Conclusion
Exploring newer sources of drugs is becoming more important nowadays because of emergence of newer diseases and change of patterns of existing diseases. Invention of different technologies helping scientists to isolate different active compounds from deep seas. Nowadays we have a number of approved medicines from ocean sources. As the vast majority of the ocean is still remaining unexplored we can hope for newer safer and effective medicines from the ocean in coming years.
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