FROM MARINE ORGANISMS AND PLANTS TO ANTICANCER AGENTS

*Mahadev G. Tate and Gayatri M. Saini

ABSTRACT

Marine organisms are potential source of drug discovery. Life has originated from the ocean that cover over 70% of the surface of earth and contain highly ecological, chemical, and biological diversity ranging from microorganism to vertebrates. This diversity has been the source of unique chemical compounds, which hold tremendous pharmaceutical potential. Generally drugs are obtained from the various species of bacteria, virus, algae, sponges, fungi etc. Marine flora and fauna, like algae, bacteria, sponges, fungi, seaweeds, corals, diatoms, ascidian etc. are important resources from oceans, accounting for quite 90% of the entire oceanic biomass. They are taxonomically different with huge productive and are pharmacologically active novel chemical signatures and bid an incredible opportunity for discovery of latest anti-cancer molecules. Ocean contain more than 3,00,000 invertebrates and algal species and rich in flora and fauna. Marine pharmacognosy is not a new area, even the early civilization of Japan, China, Greece and India have explored marine life as source of drug. During the past 35-45 years, Numerous novel compounds are isolated from marine organisms having biological activities like anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antiviral, antibacterial, anticancer and cardiovascular compounds. The aim of this review is to stipulate the paths of marine natural products discovery and development, with a special specialise in the compounds that successfully reached the market and particularly watching the approaches tackled by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies that succeeded in marketing those products. In this review, we summarized the contributions of marine natural products to treat CANCER via modulation of cancer-related factors involving oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell survival.

Keywords: Sponges, invertebrates, pharmaceutical, Marine, Modulation.