Resumen de Marine compounds as a starting point to drugs
Juan Andrés Rubiolo Gaytán, Eva Alonso López, Eva Mª Cagide Otero
In the drug development history, several bioactive compounds have been obtained from natural sources. The problem with marine compounds in most cases is associated with the limited source origin and complex chemical structures, which make them difficult to synthesize. Discovery of metabolites with biological activities in marine organisms has increased greatly, and marine compounds isolated from aquatic fungi, cyanobacteria, sponges, algae, and tunicates have been found to also exhibit various anticancer activities. Anti-angiogenic compounds reduce the production of pro-angiogenic factors; prevent them to binding to their receptors. Several new experimental anticancer compounds derived from marine sources have entered preclinical and clinical trials. The marine ecosystem is an excellent environment to discover anticancer entities, and a challenging tool to identify new cellular targets and modes of action for therapeutic intervention. An important field of research related to marine products is the study of marine biotoxins and their related seafood consumption risks due to their accumulation in filter bivalves and shes.
