Marine Drugs最新文献

The optimization of bioactive compound extraction from Fucus vesiculosus using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) via sonotrode was investigated to maximize phenolic recovery and antioxidant activity while promoting a sustainable process. Optimal conditions (40% v/v ethanol in water, 38 min, 36% amplitude) were selected to maximize phenolic recovery while considering environmental and energy sustainability by optimizing extraction efficiency and minimizing solvent and energy usage. HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis tentatively identified 25 phenolic compounds, including sulfated phenolic acids, phlorotannins, flavonoids, and halophenols, with some reported for the first time in F. vesiculosus, underscoring the complexity of this alga's metabolome. The antioxidant activity of the optimized extract was evaluated through FRAP (143.7 µmol TE/g), DPPH (EC₅₀ 105.6 µg/mL), and TEAC (189.1 µmol Trolox/g) assays. The optimized process highlights F. vesiculosus as a valuable source of natural antioxidants, with potential applications in biotechnology, cosmetics, and food industries.

Pigment production has a substantial negative impact on the environment, since mining for natural pigments causes ecosystem degradation, while synthetic pigments, derived from petrochemicals, generate toxic by-products that accumulate and persist in aquatic systems due to their resistance to biodegradation. Despite these challenges, pigments remain essential across numerous industries, including the cosmetic, textile, food, automotive, paints and coatings, plastics, and packaging industries. In response to growing consumer demand for sustainable options, there is increasing interest in eco-friendly alternatives, particularly bio-based pigments derived from algae, fungi, and actinomycetes. This shift is largely driven by consumer demand for sustainable options. For bio-pigments, actinomycetes, particularly from the Streptomyces genus, have emerged as a promising green source, aligning with global sustainability goals due to their renewability and biodegradability. Scale-up of production and yield optimization challenges have been circumvented with the aid of biotechnology advancements, including genetic engineering and innovative fermentation and extraction methods, which have enhanced these bio-pigments' viability and cost-competitiveness. Actinomycete-derived pigments have successfully transitioned from laboratory research to commercialization, showcasing their potential as sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic dyes. With the global pigment market valued at approximately USD 24.28 billion in 2023, which is projected to reach USD 36.58 billion by 2030, the economic potential for actinomycete pigments is extensive. This review explores the environmental advantages of actinomycete pigments, their role in modern industry, and the regulatory and commercialization challenges they face, highlighting the importance of these pigments as promising solutions to reduce our reliance on conventional toxic pigments. The successful commercialization of actinomycete pigments can drive an industry-wide transition to environmentally responsible alternatives, offering substantial benefits for human health, safety, and environmental sustainability.

A chemical investigation of the soft coral Lobophytum sp. and the sponge Xestospongia sp. from the South China Sea led to the isolation of five steroids, including two new compounds (1 and 4) and one known natural product (3). Compounds 1-3 were derived from the soft coral Lobophytum sp., while 4 and 5 were obtained from the sponge Xestospongia sp. The structures of these compounds were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, the time-dependent density functional theory-electronic circular dichroism (TDDFT-ECD) calculation method, and comparison with the spectral data previously reported in the literature. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities of isolated compounds were evaluated in vitro. Compounds 1-3, 4, and 5 exhibited weak antibacterial activity against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium G1, Streptococcus parauberis KSP28, Photobacterium damselae FP2244, Lactococcus garvieae FP5245, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ZJ028. Moreover, compound 3 showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 13.48 μM.

The phylum Cnidaria comprises five main classes-Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Hexacorallia, Octocorallia and Cubozoa-that include such widely distributed and well-known animals as hard and soft corals, sea anemones, sea pens, gorgonians, hydroids, and jellyfish. Cnidarians play a very important role in marine ecosystems. The composition of their fatty acids (FAs) depends on food (plankton and particulate organic matter), symbiotic photosynthetic dinoflagellates and bacteria, and de novo biosynthesis in host tissues. In cnidarian lipids, besides the common FA characteristics of marine organisms, numerous new and rare FAs are also found. All Octocorallia species and some Scyphozoa jellyfish contain polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) with 24 and 26 carbon atoms. The coral families can be distinguished by specific FA profiles: the presence of uncommon FAs or high/low levels of common fatty acids. Many of the families have characteristic FAs: Acroporidae are characterized by 18:3n6, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 20:5n3, 22:4n6, and 22:5n3; Pocilloporidae by 20:3n6, 20:4n3, and docosahexaenoic acid 22:6n3 (DHA); and Poritidae by arachidonic acid (AA) and DHA. The species of Faviidae show elevated concentrations of 18:3n6 and 22:5n3 acids. Dendrophylliidae, being azooxanthellate corals, have such dominant acids as EPA and 22:5n3 and a low content of DHA, which is the major PUFA in hermatypic corals. The major and characteristic PUFAs for Milleporidae (class Hydrozoa) are DHA and 22:5n6, though in scleractinian corals, the latter acid is found only in trace amounts.

The present research aimed to assess the anti-cancer effects of the polysaccharide fraction (SJP) isolated from Saccharina japonica. The release of immune-activating cytokines, including IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-α, was markedly stimulated by the SJP in a concentration-dependent manner within the range of 1 to 100 µg/mL. Furthermore, the prophylactic intravenous (p.i.v.) and per os (p.p.o.) injection of SJP boosted the cytolytic activity mediated by NK cells and CTLs against tumor cells. In a study involving Colon26-M3.1 carcinoma as a lung cancer model, both p.i.v. and p.p.o. exhibited significant anti-lung-cancer effects. Notably, p.i.v. and p.p.o. administration of SJP at a dose of 50 mg/kg reduced tumor colonies by 84% and 40%, respectively, compared to the control. Moreover, the anti-lung-cancer effects of SJP remained substantial, even when NK cell function was inhibited using anti-asialo-GM1. Fractionation with CaCl₂ suggested that SJP is a mixture of alginate and fucoidan. The fucoidan fraction stimulated the immune response of macrophages more strongly than the alginate fraction. Consequently, this finding suggested that SJP from S. japonica possesses remarkable anti-cancer effects through the activation of various immunocytes. In addition, this finding indicates that the potent biological activity of SJP may be attributed to fucoidan.

This research examined antioxidant and anti-obesity effects of Palmaria palmata extracts obtained through acidic or alkaline treatments and subsequent pH adjustments. After two rounds of acidic or alkaline extraction, the extracts were separated from biomass and adjusted to different pH values: for acidic extracts, pH 3 (no adjustment), pH 6, pH 9, and pH 12; for alkaline extracts, pH 12 (no adjustment), pH 9, pH 6, and pH 3. The findings revealed that extraction medium as well as subsequent pH adjustments significantly influenced composition of the extracts in terms of protein content and recovery, amino acids, and phenolic compounds (p < 0.05). Acidic conditions produced extracts with potent radical scavenging, especially at pH 6 (IC₅₀ = 0.30 ± 0.04 mg.mL^-1), while alkaline conditions favored metal chelating, with the highest Fe²⁺ chelation at pH 12 (IC₅₀ = 0.65 ± 0.03 mg.mL^-1). Moreover, extracts showed inhibitory activities against porcine pancreatic lipase and α-amylase, with the acidic extract at pH 9 showing the best anti-obesity properties (IC₅₀ = 5.38 ± 0.34 mg.mL^-1 for lipase and IC₅₀ = 5.79 ± 0.30 mg.mL^-1 for α-amylase). However, the highest α-amylase activity was in the alkaline extract at pH 12 (IC₅₀ = 3.05 ± 0.66 mg.mL^-1). In conclusion, adjusting the pH of seaweed extracts notably influences their bioactive properties, likely due to changes in the reactivity and interactions of bioactive compounds such as peptides, carbohydrates, and polyphenols.

Echinoderms, a diverse group of marine invertebrates including starfish, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers, have been recognized as prolific sources of structurally diverse natural products. In the past five years, remarkable progress has been made in the isolation, structural elucidation, and pharmacological assessment of these bioactive compounds. These metabolites, including polysaccharides, triterpenoids, steroids, and peptides, demonstrate potent bioactivities such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial effects, providing valuable insights and scaffolds for drug discovery. This review highlights the structural diversity and biological activities of natural products derived from echinoderms over the last five years, with a particular focus on their structure-activity relationships and therapeutic potential. It also outlines the prospects and challenges for future research, aiming to stimulate further exploration in marine drug discovery.

The convergence of marine sciences and medical studies has the potential for substantial advances in healthcare. This study uses bibliometric and topic modeling studies to map the progression of research themes from 2000 to 2023, with an emphasis on the interdisciplinary subject of marine and medical sciences. Building on the global publication output at the interface between marine and medical sciences and using the Hierarchical Dirichlet Process, we discovered dominating research topics during three periods, emphasizing shifts in research focus and development trends. Our data show a significant rise in publication output, indicating a growing interest in using marine bioresources for medical applications. The paper identifies two main areas of active research, "natural product biochemistry" and "trace substance and genetics", both with great therapeutic potential. We used social network analysis to map the collaborative networks and identify the prominent scholars and institutions driving this research and development progress. Our study indicates important paths for research policy and R&D management operating at the crossroads of healthcare innovation and marine sciences. It also underscores the significance of quantitative foresight methods and interdisciplinary teams in identifying and interpreting future scientific convergences and breakthroughs.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare neoplasm with increasing incidence and mortality rates. Although recent advances have improved the overall prognosis, they have not had an important impact on survival of patients with MPM, such that more effective treatments are needed. Some species of marine snails have been demonstrated to be potential sources of novel anticancer molecules. This study analyzed the anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo of two peptides found in C. californicus. The effects of s-cal14.1b and s-cal14.2b on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cytotoxicity were evaluated in 2D and 3D cultures of MPM-derived cells. Proteomics analysis of 3D cultures treated with conotoxins was performed to examine changes in expression or abundance. And the therapeutic effects of both conotoxins were evaluated in MPM mouse xenografts. s-cal14.1b and s-cal14.2b induced apoptosis and cytotoxicity in 2D and 3D cultures. However, only s-cal14.1b modified spheroid growth. Approximately 600 proteins exhibited important differential expression, which was more heterogeneous in H2452 vs MSTO-211H spheroids. The in silico protein functional analysis showed modifications in the biological pathways associated with carcinogenesis. CAPN1, LIMA1, ANXA6, HUWE1, PARP1 or PARP4 proteins could be potential cell targets for conotoxins and serve as biomarkers in MPM. Finally, we found that both conotoxins reduced the tumor mass in MPM xenografts; s-cal14.1b reached statistical significance. Based on these results, s-cal14.1b and s-cal14.2b conotoxins could be potential therapeutic drugs for MPM neoplasms with no apparent side effects on normal cells.

Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) is receiving increasing attention as a feed additive in animal production. COS has a variety of biological functions, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Mastitis is a major disease in dairy cows that has a significant impact on animal welfare and production. Hence, this research aimed to investigate the mechanism of COS on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated inflammatory response and oxidative stress in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). In this study, the results demonstrated that COS protected BMECs from the inflammatory response induced by LPS by restraining the excessive production of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). COS treatment also suppressed excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and restored antioxidant enzyme activity under LPS-induced oxidative stress conditions. Furthermore, the results also demonstrated that COS promote nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) expression and inhibit TLR4 levels and p65 and IκBα phosphorylation in BMECs exposed to LPS. In summary, the results demonstrate that the protective mechanism of COS on the LPS-induced inflammatory response and oxidative stress depend on the TLR4/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and Nrf2 signaling pathways, indicating that COS could serve as natural protective agents for alleviating BMECs in mastitis.