Marine pharmacology in 2005-6: Marine compounds with anthelmintic, antibacterial, anticoagulant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral activities; affecting the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems, and other miscellaneous mechanisms of action

Toxicology of freshwater cyanobacteria

Many chemical contaminants in drinking water have been shown to cause adverse health effects in humans after prolonged exposure. Cyanobacteria are one of the most potent and diverse groups of photosynthetic prokaryotes. One key component of cyanobacterial success in the environment is the production of potent toxins as secondary metabolites, which have been responsible for numerous adverse health impacts in humans. Anthropogenic activities have led to the increase of eutrophication in freshwater bodies' worldwide, causing cyanobacterial blooms to become more frequent. The present article will discuss about harmful cyanobacteria and their toxicology with special references to microcystin, nodularin, and cylindrospermopsin.

Cystoseira usneoides: A Brown Alga Rich in Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Meroditerpenoids

Twelve new meroditerpenoids, 1-12, along with eight known compounds, have been isolated from the brown alga Cystoseira usneoides collected off the coast of Tarifa (Spain). The structures of the new metabolites have been established by spectroscopic techniques. All of the new compounds consist of a toluhydroquinone-derived nucleus linked to a regular diterpenoid moiety, which can either be acyclic or contain an ether ring. Most structural diversity arises from the presence of different oxygenated functionalities and unsaturations along the two terminal isoprenoid units of the diterpene backbone. Twelve of the isolated meroditerpenes have been tested in antioxidant assays. All of them have shown radical-scavenging activity. The most active compounds were cystodiones G (1) and H (2), 11-hydroxyamentadione (15), and amentadione (16), which exhibited antioxidant activities in the range of 77-87% that of the Trolox standard. In anti-inflammatory assays, cystodiones G (1) and M (6), cystone C (9), 11-hydroxyamentadione (15), and amentadione (16) showed significant activity as inhibitors of the production of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α in LPS-stimulated THP-1 human macrophages.

Bioactive quinone derivatives from the marine brown alga Sargassum thunbergii induce anti-adipogenic and pro-osteoblastogenic activities

BACKGROUND

Health problems related to the lack of bone formation are a major problem for ageing populations in the modern world. As a part of the ongoing trend to develop natural substances that attenuate bone loss in osteoporosis, the effects of the edible brown alga Sargassum thunbergii and its active contents on adipogenic differentiation in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts were evaluated.

RESULTS

Treatment with S. thunbergii significantly reduced lipid accumulation and expression of adipogenic differentiation markers such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c. In addition, S. thunbergii successfully enhanced osteoblast differentiation as indicated by increased alkaline phosphatase activity along raised levels of osteoblastogenesis indicators, namely bone morphogenetic protein-2, osteocalcin and collagen type I. Two compounds, sargaquinoic and sargahydroquinoic acid, were isolated from active extract and shown to be active by means of osteogenesis inducement.

CONCLUSION

S. thunbergii could be a source for functional food ingredients for improved treatment of osteoporosis and obesity.

Phorbaketal A, Isolated from the Marine Sponge Phorbas sp., Exerts Its Anti-Inflammatory Effects via NF-κB Inhibition and Heme Oxygenase-1 Activation in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Macrophages

Marine sponges harbor a range of biologically active compounds. Phorbaketal A is a tricyclic sesterterpenoid isolated from the marine sponge Phorbas sp.; however, little is known about its biological activities and associated molecular mechanisms. In this study, we examined the anti-inflammatory effects and underlying molecular mechanism of phorbaketal A in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. We found that phorbaketal A significantly inhibited the LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO), but not prostaglandin E₂, in RAW 264.7 cells. Further, phorbaketal A suppressed the expression of inducible NO synthase at both the mRNA and protein levels. In addition, phorbaketal A reduced the LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1. Treatment with phorbaketal A inhibited the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), a crucial signaling molecule in inflammation. Moreover, phorbaketal A up-regulated the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. These data suggest that phorbaketal A, isolated from the marine sponge Phorbas sp., inhibits the production of inflammatory mediators via down-regulation of the NF-κB pathway and up-regulation of the HO-1 pathway.

Marine-Based Nutraceuticals: An Innovative Trend in the Food and Supplement Industries

Recent trends in functional foods and supplements have demonstrated that bioactive molecules play a major therapeutic role in human disease. Nutritionists and biomedical and food scientists are working together to discover new bioactive molecules that have increased potency and therapeutic benefits. Marine life constitutes almost 80% of the world biota with thousands of bioactive compounds and secondary metabolites derived from marine invertebrates such as tunicates, sponges, molluscs, bryozoans, sea slugs and many other marine organisms. These bioactive molecules and secondary metabolites possess antibiotic, antiparasitic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic and anticancer activities. They are also inhibitors or activators of critical enzymes and transcription factors, competitors of transporters and sequestrants that modulate various physiological pathways. The current review summaries the widely available marine-based nutraceuticals and recent research carried out for the purposes of isolation, identification and characterization of marine-derived bioactive compounds with various therapeutic potentials.

Micrometam C Protects against Oxidative Stress in Inflammation Models in Zebrafish and RAW264.7 Macrophages

Micrometam C is a core of novel marine compound isolated from the mangrove associates Micromelum falcatum. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of micrometam C in inflammation models in the transgenic zebrafish line Tg (corola: eGFP) and RAW264.7 macrophages. We found that micrometam C significantly suppressed the migration of immune cells in tail-cutting-induced inflammation in transgenic zebrafish and reduced lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) in both zebrafish and macrophages. In addition, micrometam C also restored LPS-induced reduction of endogenous antioxidants, such as catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). The protective effects of micrometam C were in parallel to its inhibition of NADPH oxidase and nuclear factor-kappa-binding (NF-κB) activity. Thus, the present results demonstrate that micrometam C protects against LPS-induced inflammation possibly through its antioxidant property.

Bioactivity of seagrass against the dengue fever mosquito Aedes aegypti larvae

OBJECTIVE

To identify the larvicidal activity of the seagrass extracts.

METHODS

Seagrass extracts, Syringodium isoetifolium (S. isoetifolium), Cymodocea serrulata and Halophila beccarii, were dissolved in DMSO to prepare a graded series of concentration. Batches of 25 early 4th instars larvae of Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) were transferred to 250 mL enamel bowl containing 199 mL of distilled water and 1 mL of plant extracts (0.01 mg - 0.1 mg). After 24 h the mortality rate was identified with the formulae [(% of test mortality - % of control mortality)/(100 - % of control mortality)] × 100. Each experiment was conducted with three replicates and a concurrent control group. A control group consisted of 1 mL of DMSO and 199 mL of distilled water only.

RESULTS

: The root extract of S. isoetifolium showed maximum larvicidal activity with minimum concentration of extract of LC50= 0.0 604 ± 0.0 040)µg/mL with lower confidence limit (LCL) - upper confidence limit (UCL) = (0.051-0.071) and LC90=0.0 972µg/mL followed by leaf extract of S. isoetifolium showed LC50= (0.062 ± 0.005)µg/mL. The regression equation of root and leaf extract of S. isoetifolium for 4th instar larvae were Y= 4.909 + 1.32x (R(2)= 0.909) and Y= 2.066 + 1.21x (R(2) =0.897) respectively. The results of the preliminary phytochemical constituents shows the presence of saponin, steroids, terpenoid, phenols, protein and sugars.

CONCLUSIONS

From the present study the ethanolic extracts of seagrass of S. isoetifolium possesses lead compound for development of larvicidal activity.

Anti-inflammatory components of the Vietnamese starfish Protoreaster nodosus

BACKGROUND

In the present study, we examined the inhibitory effects of a methanolic extract, dichloromethane fraction, water layer, and polyhydroxylated sterols (1-4) isolated from the Vietnamese starfish Protoreaster nodosus on pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-12 p40, IL-6, and TNF-α) production in LPS-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).

RESULTS

The methanolic extract and dichloromethane fraction exerted potent inhibitory effects on the production of all three pro-inflammatory cytokines, with IC50 values ranging from 0.60 ± 0.01 to 26.19 ± 0.64 μg/mL. Four highly pure steroid derivatives (1-4) were isolated from the dichloromethane fraction and water layer of P. nodosus. Potent inhibitory activities were also observed for (25S) 5α-cholestane-3β,4β,6α,7α,8β,15α,16β,26-octol (3) on the production of IL-12 p40 and IL-6 (IC50s = 3.11 ± 0.08 and 1.35 ± 0.03 μM), and for (25S) 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,8β,15α,16β,26-hexol (1) and (25S) 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,7α,8β,15α,16β,26-heptol (2) on the production of IL-12 p40 (IC50s = 0.01 ± 0.00 and 1.02 ± 0.01 μM). Moreover, nodososide (4) exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on IL-12 p40 and IL-6 production.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of the anti-inflammatory activity from the starfish P. nodosus. The main finding of this study is the identification oxygenated steroid derivatives from P. nodosus with potent anti-inflammatory activities that may be developed as therapeutic agents for inflammatory diseases.

The red seaweed Plocamium brasiliense shows anti-snake venom toxic effects

BACKGROUND

Snakebite is considered a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. In Brazil, about 70% of the envenomation cases are caused by Bothrops snakes. Its venom may provoke hemorrhage, pain, necrosis, hemolysis, renal or cardiac failure and even death in victims. Since commercial antivenom does not efficiently neutralize the local toxic effects of venoms, natural products have been tested in order to provide alternative or complementary treatment to serum therapy. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the ability of the seaweed Plocamium brasiliense and its active derivatives to neutralize hemorrhagic, edematogenic, hemolytic, coagulant and proteolytic activities of B. jararaca venom.

METHODS

Specimens of P. brasiliense were collected in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, dried and submitted to oil extraction using four solvents of increasing polarities, n-hexane (HEX), dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate (ETA) and hydroalcoholic solution (HYD). The solvents were evaporated, yielding HEX, DCM, ETA and HYD extracts. Further, all extracts were dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide. In addition, two monoterpenes (8-bromo-3,4,7-trichloro-3,7-dimethyl-1E, 5E-octadiene and 1,8-dibromo-3,4,7-trichloro-3,7-dimethyl-1E, 5E-octadiene) and a cholesterol fraction were isolated from the extract of P. brasiliense prepared in hexane. Algal samples were incubated for 30 minutes with B. jararaca venom, and then tested for lethality; hemorrhagic, edematogenic, hemolytic, coagulant and proteolytic effects.

RESULTS

Most of the algal extracts inhibited the toxic effects with different potencies. The DCM extract was the most effective, since it inhibited all types of toxic activity. On the other hand, the HYD extract failed to inhibit any effect. Moreover, the isolated products inhibited proteolysis and protected mice from hemorrhage in 30% of the cases, whereas 8-bromo-3,4,7-trichloro-3,7-dimethyl-1E, 5E-octadiene inhibited 100% and 20% of the hemorrhagic and proteolytic activities, respectively. None of the algal products were toxic to mice.

CONCLUSION

Seaweeds may be a promising source of inhibitors against toxic effects caused by B. jararaca envenomation, which may contribute to antivenom treatment.

Statistical research on the bioactivity of new marine natural products discovered during the 28 years from 1985 to 2012

Every year, hundreds of new compounds are discovered from the metabolites of marine organisms. Finding new and useful compounds is one of the crucial drivers for this field of research. Here we describe the statistics of bioactive compounds discovered from marine organisms from 1985 to 2012. This work is based on our database, which contains information on more than 15,000 chemical substances including 4196 bioactive marine natural products. We performed a comprehensive statistical analysis to understand the characteristics of the novel bioactive compounds and detail temporal trends, chemical structures, species distribution, and research progress. We hope this meta-analysis will provide useful information for research into the bioactivity of marine natural products and drug development.

Screening of antiangiogenic potential of twenty two marine invertebrate extracts of phylum Mollusca from South East Coast of India

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the antiangiogenic potential of twenty two marine invertebrate species of Phylum Mollusca from south east coast of India.

METHODS

Live specimens of molluscan species were collected and their methanolic extracts were evaluated for preliminary antiangiogenic activity using the in ovo chick chorio-allantoic membrane assay. The extracts were further evaluated for in vivo antiangiogenic activity using chemical cautery induced corneal neovascularization assay in rats and oxygen induced retinopathy assay in rat pups.

RESULTS

In the chick chorio-allantoic membrane assay, four methanolic extracts of marine molluscan species viz. Meretrix meretrix, Meretrix casta, Telescopium telescopium and Bursa crumena methanolic extracts exhibited noticeable antiangiogenic activity at the tested concentration of 200 µg whereby they significantly inhibited the VEGF induced proliferation of new blood vessels. Among these four extracts, the methanolic extract of Meretrix casta exhibited relatively higher degree of antiangiogenic activity with an inhibitiory percentage (64.63%) of the VEGF induced neovascularization followed by the methanolic extracts of Telescopium telescopium (62.02%), Bursa crumena (60.48%) and Meretrix meretrix (47.01%). These four methanolic extracts were further evaluated for in vivo antiangiogenic activity whereby the methanolic extract of Telescopium telescopium exhibited most noticeable inhibition (42.58%) of the corneal neovascularization in rats in comparison to the sham treated group, and also exhibited most noticeable inhibition (31.31%) of the oxygen induced retinal neovascularization in rat pups in comparison to the hyperoxia group that was observed for considerable retinal neovascularization.

CONCLUSIONS

The significant antiangiogenic activity evinced by the extract of Telescopium telescopium merits further investigation for ocular neovascular diseases.

Screening, isolation and optimization of anti-white spot syndrome virus drug derived from marine plants

OBJECTIVE

To screen, isolate and optimize anti-white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) drug derived from various marine floral ecosystems and to evaluate the efficacy of the same in host-pathogen interaction model.

METHODS

Thirty species of marine plants were subjected to Soxhlet extraction using water, ethanol, methanol and hexane as solvents. The 120 plant isolates thus obtained were screened for their in vivo anti-WSSV property in Litopenaeus vannamei. By means of chemical processes, the purified anti-WSSV plant isolate, MP07X was derived. The drug was optimized at various concentrations. Viral and immune genes were analysed using reverse transcriptase PCR to confirm the potency of the drug.

RESULTS

Nine plant isolates exhibited significant survivability in host. The drug MP07X thus formulated showing 85% survivability in host. The surviving shrimps were nested PCR negative at the end of the 15 d experimentation. The lowest concentration of MP07X required intramuscularly for virucidal property was 10 mg/mL. The oral dosage of 1 000 mg/kg body weight/day survived at the rate of 85%. Neither VP28 nor ie 1 was expressed in the test samples at 42nd hour and 84th hour post viral infection.

CONCLUSIONS

The drug MP07X derived from Rhizophora mucronata is a potent anti-WSSV drug.

Relative and absolute stereochemistry of diacarperoxides: antimalarial norditerpene endoperoxides from marine sponge Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa

Five new norditerpene endoperoxides, named diacarperoxides H-L (1-5), and a new norditerpene diol, called diacardiol B (6), were isolated from the South China Sea sponge, Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa. Their structures, including conformations and absolute configurations, were determined by using spectroscopic analyses, computational approaches and chemical degradation. Diacarperoxides H-J (1-3) showed some interesting stereochemical issues, as well as antimalarial activity.

Sargahydroquinoic acid inhibits TNFα-induced AP-1 and NF-κB signaling in HaCaT cells through PPARα activation

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors and expressed in various cell types in the skin, including keratinocytes, fibroblasts and infiltrating immune cells. Thus, their ligands are targets for the treatment of various skin disorders, such as photo-aging and chronological aging of skin. Intensive studies have revealed that PPARα/γ functions in photo-aging and age-related inflammation by regulating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) via activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). However, the detailed mechanism of PPARα/γ's role in skin aging has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we confirmed that sargahydroquinoic acid (SHQA) as a PPARα/γ ligand significantly decreased Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNFα)-induced MMP-2/-9 expression by downregulating TNFα-induced transcription factors, subsequently reducing IκBα degradation and blocking NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation in HaCaT human epidermal keratinocyte cells. Treatment of cells with SHQA and GW6471 (PPARα antagonist) not bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (PPARγ antagonists), reversed the effect on TNFα-induced inflammatory signaling pathway activation. Taken together, our data suggest that SHQA inhibit TNFα-induced MMP-2/-9 expression and age-related inflammation by suppressing AP-1 and NF-κB pathway via PPARα.

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant effects of diterpenes isolated from the marine alga, Dictyota menstrualis

Cardiovascular diseases represent a major cause of disability and death worldwide. Therapeutics are available, but they often have unsatisfactory results and may produce side effects. Alternative treatments based on the use of natural products have been extensively investigated, because of their low toxicity and side effects. Marine organisms are prime candidates for such products, as they are sources of numerous and complex substances with ecological and pharmacological effects. In this work, we investigated, through in vitro experiments, the effects of three diterpenes (pachydictyol A, isopachydictyol A and dichotomanol) from the Brazilian marine alga, Dictyota menstrualis, on platelet aggregation and plasma coagulation. Results showed that dichotomanol inhibited ADP- or collagen-induced aggregation of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), but failed to inhibit washed platelets (WP). In contrast, pachydictyol A and isopachydictyol A failed to inhibit the aggregation of PRP, but inhibited WP aggregation induced by collagen or thrombin. These diterpenes also inhibited coagulation analyzed by the prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time and on commercial fibrinogen. Moreover, diterpenes inhibited the catalytic activity of thrombin. Theoretical studies using the Osiris Property Explorer software showed that diterpenes have low theoretical toxicity profiles and a drug-score similar to commercial anticoagulant drugs. In conclusion, these diterpenes are promising candidates for use in anticoagulant therapy, and this study also highlights the biotechnological potential of oceans and the importance of bioprospecting to develop medicines.

Marketed marine natural products in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries: tips for success

The marine environment harbors a number of macro and micro organisms that have developed unique metabolic abilities to ensure their survival in diverse and hostile habitats, resulting in the biosynthesis of an array of secondary metabolites with specific activities. Several of these metabolites are high-value commercial products for the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industries. The aim of this review is to outline the paths of marine natural products discovery and development, with a special focus on the compounds that successfully reached the market and particularly looking at the approaches tackled by the pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies that succeeded in marketing those products. The main challenges faced during marine bioactives discovery and development programs were analyzed and grouped in three categories: biodiversity (accessibility to marine resources and efficient screening), supply and technical (sustainable production of the bioactives and knowledge of the mechanism of action) and market (processes, costs, partnerships and marketing). Tips to surpass these challenges are given in order to improve the market entry success rates of highly promising marine bioactives in the current pipelines, highlighting what can be learned from the successful and unsuccessful stories that can be applied to novel and/or ongoing marine natural products discovery and development programs.

Discovery of potent broad spectrum antivirals derived from marine actinobacteria

Natural products provide a vast array of chemical structures to explore in the discovery of new medicines. Although secondary metabolites produced by microbes have been developed to treat a variety of diseases, including bacterial and fungal infections, to date there has been limited investigation of natural products with antiviral activity. In this report, we used a phenotypic cell-based replicon assay coupled with an iterative biochemical fractionation process to identify, purify, and characterize antiviral compounds produced by marine microbes. We isolated a compound from Streptomyces kaviengensis, a novel actinomycetes isolated from marine sediments obtained off the coast of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, which we identified as antimycin A1a. This compound displays potent activity against western equine encephalitis virus in cultured cells with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of less than 4 nM and a selectivity index of greater than 550. Our efforts also revealed that several antimycin A analogues display antiviral activity, and mechanism of action studies confirmed that these Streptomyces-derived secondary metabolites function by inhibiting the cellular mitochondrial electron transport chain, thereby suppressing de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Furthermore, we found that antimycin A functions as a broad spectrum agent with activity against a wide range of RNA viruses in cultured cells, including members of the Togaviridae, Flaviviridae, Bunyaviridae, Picornaviridae, and Paramyxoviridae families. Finally, we demonstrate that antimycin A reduces central nervous system viral titers, improves clinical disease severity, and enhances survival in mice given a lethal challenge with western equine encephalitis virus. Our results provide conclusive validation for using natural product resources derived from marine microbes as source material for antiviral drug discovery, and they indicate that host mitochondrial electron transport is a viable target for the continued development of broadly active antiviral compounds.

Larvicidal, Ovicidal, and Repellent Activities of Marine Sponge Cliona celata (Grant) Extracts against Culex quinquefasciatus Say and Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

Solvent extracts of marine sponge Cliona celata (Grant) were screened for larvicidal, ovicidal, and repellent properties against the filarial vector Culex quinquefasciatus Say and dengue vector Aedes aegypti L. Larvicidal and ovicidal activities of hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol extracts were tested in four different concentrations ranging as 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 ppm. Among the three solvent extracts of C. celata, methanol extract showed the highest larvicidal activity at 500 ppm against both mosquito species. The LC50 and LC90 values of C. celata methanol extract were recorded as 95.63 and 242.16 ppm against C. quinquefasciatus larvae and 158.40 and 780.16 ppm against A. aegypti larvae, respectively. Ovicidal activity was high in methanol extract, in which 100% ovicidal activity was recorded in C. quinquefasciatus, and 72% ovicidal activity was recorded in A. aegypti at 500 ppm. The hexane extract was found to be the most effective protectant against the adult mosquitoes of both species. The mean protection time recorded in hexane extract was up to 273 and 165 min at 5 mg/cm2 dosage against C. quinquefasciatus and A. aegypti, respectively. Considering these bioactivities, C. celata could be used to obtain some novel pesticidal molecules.

Crambescidin-816 acts as a fungicidal with more potency than crambescidin-800 and -830, inducing cell cycle arrest, increased cell size and apoptosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this paper, we show the effect of crambescidin-816, -800, and -830 on Saccharomyces cerevisiae viability. We determined that, of the three molecules tested, crambescidin-816 was the most potent. Based on this result, we continued by determining the effect of crambescidin-816 on the cell cycle of this yeast. The compound induced cell cycle arrest in G2/M followed by an increase in cell DNA content and size. When the type of cell death was analyzed, we observed that crambescidin-816 induced apoptosis. The antifungal effect indicates that crambescidins, and mostly crambescidin-816, could serve as a lead compound to fight fungal infections.

Cytotoxicity, fractionation and dereplication of extracts of the dinoflagellate Vulcanodinium rugosum, a producer of pinnatoxin G

Pinnatoxin G (PnTX-G) is a marine toxin belonging to the class of cyclic imines and produced by the dinoflagellate Vulcanodinium rugosum. In spite of its strong toxicity to mice, leading to the classification of pinnatoxins into the class of “fast-acting toxins”, its hazard for human health has never been demonstrated. In this study, crude extracts of V. rugosum exhibited significant cytotoxicity against Neuro2A and KB cells. IC₅₀ values of 0.38 µg mL⁻¹ and 0.19 µg mL⁻¹ were estimated on Neuro2A cells after only 24 h of incubation and on KB cells after 72 h of incubation, respectively. In the case of Caco-2 cells 48 h after exposure, the crude extract of V. rugosum induced cell cycle arrest accompanied by a dramatic increase in double strand DNA breaks, although only 40% cytotoxicity was observed at the highest concentration tested (5 µg mL⁻¹). However, PnTX-G was not a potent cytotoxic compound as no reduction of the cell viability was observed on the different cell lines. Moreover, no effects on the cell cycle or DNA damage were observed following treatment of undifferentiated Caco-2 cells with PnTX-G. The crude extract of V. rugosum was thus partially purified using liquid-liquid partitioning and SPE clean-up. In vitro assays revealed strong activity of some fractions containing no PnTX-G. The crude extract and the most potent fraction were evaluated using full scan and tandem high resolution mass spectrometry. The dereplication revealed the presence of a major compound that could be putatively annotated as nakijiquinone A, N-carboxy-methyl-smenospongine or stachybotrin A, using the MarinLit™ database. Further investigations will be necessary to confirm the identity of the compounds responsible for the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the extracts of V. rugosum.

Anti-inflammatory components of the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus

Inflammation is important in biomedical research, because it plays a key role in inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, allergies, asthma, and even cancer. In the present study, we describe the inhibitory effect of crude extracts and steroids isolated from the starfish Astropecten polyacanthus on pro-inflammatory cytokine (Interleukin-12 (IL-12) p40, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Among those tested, compounds 5 and 7 showed potent inhibitory effects on the production of all three pro-inflammatory cytokines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.82 ± 0.11 to 7.00 ± 0.16 μM. Potent inhibitory activities were also observed for compound 1 on the production of IL-12 p40 and IL-6 with values of 3.96 ± 0.12 and 4.07 ± 0.13 μM, respectively, and for compounds 3 and 4 on the production of IL-12 p40 with values of 6.55 ± 0.18 and 5.06 ± 0.16 μM, respectively. Moreover, compounds 2 (IC₅₀ = 34.86 ± 0.31 μM) and 6 (IC₅₀ = 79.05 ± 2.05 μM) exhibited moderate inhibitory effects on the production of IL-12 p40, whereas compounds 3 (IC₅₀ = 22.80 ± 0.21 μM) and 4 (IC₅₀ = 16.73 ± 0.25 μM) moderately inhibited the production of TNF-α and IL-6, respectively.

Marine pharmacology in 2009-2011: marine compounds with antibacterial, antidiabetic, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral activities; affecting the immune and nervous systems, and other miscellaneous mechanisms of action

The peer-reviewed marine pharmacology literature from 2009 to 2011 is presented in this review, following the format used in the 1998–2008 reviews of this series. The pharmacology of structurally-characterized compounds isolated from marine animals, algae, fungi and bacteria is discussed in a comprehensive manner. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antituberculosis, and antiviral pharmacological activities were reported for 102 marine natural products. Additionally, 60 marine compounds were observed to affect the immune and nervous system as well as possess antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. Finally, 68 marine metabolites were shown to interact with a variety of receptors and molecular targets, and thus will probably contribute to multiple pharmacological classes upon further mechanism of action studies. Marine pharmacology during 2009–2011 remained a global enterprise, with researchers from 35 countries, and the United States, contributing to the preclinical pharmacology of 262 marine compounds which are part of the preclinical pharmaceutical pipeline. Continued pharmacological research with marine natural products will contribute to enhance the marine pharmaceutical clinical pipeline, which in 2013 consisted of 17 marine natural products, analogs or derivatives targeting a limited number of disease categories.

Bioactive secondary metabolites of a marine Bacillus sp. inhibit superoxide generation and elastase release in human neutrophils by blocking formyl peptide receptor 1

It is well known that overwhelming neutrophil activation is closely related to acute and chronic inflammatory injuries. Formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) plays an important role in activation of neutrophils and may represent a potent therapeutic target in inflammatory diseases. In the present study, we demonstrated that IA-LBI07-1 (IA), an extract of bioactive secondary metabolites from a marine Bacillus sp., has anti-inflammatory effects in human neutrophils. IA significantly inhibited superoxide generation and elastase release in formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine (FMLP)-activated neutrophils, but failed to suppress the cell responses activated by non-FPR1 agonists. IA did not alter superoxide production and elastase activity in cell-free systems. IA also attenuated the downstream signaling from FPR1, such as the Ca²⁺, MAP kinases and AKT pathways. In addition, IA inhibited the binding of N-formyl-Nle-Leu-Phe-Nle-Tyr-Lys-fluorescein, a fluorescent analogue of FMLP, to FPR1 in human neutrophils and FPR1-transfected HEK293 cells. Taken together, these results show that the anti-inflammatory effects of IA in human neutrophils are through the inhibition of FPR1. Also, our data suggest that IA may have therapeutic potential to decrease tissue damage induced by human neutrophils.

Synergistic effect of fucoidan with antibiotics against oral pathogenic bacteria

BACKGROUND

Fucoidan is a sulphated polysaccharide that is primarily extracted from brown seaweeds; it has been broadly studied in recent years due to its numerous biological properties, including anticoagulant, antithrombotic, antitumour and antiviral activities.

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN

In this study, fucoidan was evaluated against oral bacteria, either alone or with antibiotics, via the broth dilution method and chequerboard and time-kill assay.

RESULTS

Minimum inhibitory concentration/minimum bactericidal concentration (MIC/MBC) values for the fucoidan against all the tested bacteria ranged between 0.125 and 0.50/0.25 and 1.00mgml(-1), for ampicillin 0.125 and 64/0.5 and 64μgml(-1) and for gentamicin 2 and 256/4 and 512μgml(-1), respectively. Furthermore, the MIC and MBC were reduced to one half-eighth as a result of the combination of the fucoidan with antibiotics. One to 3h of treatment with MIC50 of fucoidan with MIC50 of antibiotics resulted from an increase of the rate of killing in colony forming units (CFUs) ml(-1) to a greater degree than was observed with alone.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that fucoidan is important in the antibacterial actions of the agents.

Immunomodulatory effect of marine cembrane-type diterpenoids on dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen presenting cells, which can present antigens to T-cells and play an important role in linking innate and adaptive immunity. DC maturation can be induced by many stimuli, including pro-inflammatory cytokines and bacterial products, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Here, we examined the immunomodulatory effects of marine cembrane compounds, (9E,13E)-5-acetoxy-6-hydroxy-9,13-dimethyl-3-methylene-3,3a,4,5,6,7,8,11,12,14a-decahydro-2H-cyclotrideca[b]furan-2-one (1), (9E,13E)-5-acetoxy-6-acetyl-9,13-dimethyl-3-methylene-3,3a,4,5,6,7,8,11,12,14a-decahydro-2H-cyclotrideca[b]furan-2-one (2), lobocrassin B (3), (−)14-deoxycrassin (4), cembranolide B (5) and 13-acetoxysarcocrassolide (6) isolated from a soft coral, Lobophytum crassum, on mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). The results revealed that cembrane-type diterpenoids, especially lobocrassin B, effectively inhibited LPS-induced BMDC activation by inhibiting the production of TNF-α. Pre-treatment of BMDCs with Lobocrassin B for 1 h is essential to prohibit the following activation induced by various toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, such as LPS, zymosan, lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and Pam2CSK4. Inhibition of NF-κB nuclear translocation by lobocrassin B, which is a key transcription factor for cytokine production in TLR signaling, was evident as assayed by high-content image analysis. Lobocrassin B attenuated DC maturation and endocytosis as the expression levels of MHC class II and the co-stimulatory molecules were downregulated, which may affect the function of DCs to initiate the T-cell responses. Thus, lobocrassin B may have the potential in treatment of immune dysregulated diseases in the future.

Pharmacologically prospective antibiotic agents and their sources: a marine microbial perspective

Marine microbes have been a storehouse of bioactive metabolites with tremendous potential as drug candidates. Marine microorganism derived secondary metabolites (chemical compounds/peptides) are considered to be a burning area of research since recent past. Many of such compounds have been proven to be anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-algal, anti-HIV, anti-helminthic, anti-protozoan, anti-tumor and anti-allergic agents. Marine bacteria and fungi have been reported to be the producers of such compounds owing to their defense mechanisms and metabolic by products. Although the number of natural products isolated from these classes of marine microbial flora is large, a limited number of such compounds reach the clinical trial and even less number of them get approved as a drug. Here we discuss the recent studies on the isolation, characterization and the pharmacological significances of anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-infective agents of marine microbial origin. Further, the clinical status of such compounds has also been discussed in comparison with those derived from their terrestrial counterparts.

Cytotoxic activity of semi-synthetic derivatives of elatol and isoobtusol

In the present study, the in vitro cytotoxic effects of six semi-synthetic derivatives of elatol (1) and isoobtusol (2) were investigated. Chemical modifications were performed on the hydroxyl groups aiming to get derivatives of different polarity, namely the hemisuccinate, carbamate and sulfamate. The structural elucidation of the new derivatives was based on detailed NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses. The in vitro cytotoxicity of compounds 1 to 8 was evaluated against A459 and RD tumor cell lines with CC₅₀ values ranging from 4.93 to 41.53 µM. These results suggest that the structural modifications performed on both compounds could be considered a good strategy to obtain more active derivatives.

Effect of 3-alkylpyridine marine alkaloid analogues in Leishmania species related to American cutaneous leishmaniasis

A series of oxygenated analogues of marine 3-alkylpyridine alkaloids were synthesized, and their leishmanicidal activity was assayed. All compounds were prepared from 3-pyridinepropanol in few steps and in good yields. The key step for the synthesis of these compounds was a classic Williamson etherification under phase-transfer conditions. Besides toxicity in peritoneal macrophages, the compounds exhibited a significant leishmanicidal activity. Of twelve compounds tested, five showed a strong leishmanicidal activity against promastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis and L. braziliensis with IC50 below 10 μm. Compounds 11, 14, 15, and 16 showed a strong leishmanicidal activity on intracellular amastigotes (IC50 values of 2.78; 0.27; 1.03, and 1.33 μm, respectively), which is unlikely to be owing to the activation of nitric oxide production by macrophages.

Anti-diabetic and hypolipidemic effects of Sargassum yezoense in db/db mice

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) have been considered to be desirable targets for metabolic syndrome, even though their specific agonists have several side effects including body weight gain, edema and tissue failure. Previously, we have reported in vitro effects of Sargassum yezoense (SY) and its ingredients, sargaquinoic acid (SQA) and sargahydroquinoic acid (SHQA), on PPARα/γ dual transcriptional activation. In this study, we describe in vivo pharmacological property of SY on metabolic disorders. SY treatment significantly improved glucose and lipid impairment in db/db mice model. More importantly, there are no significant side effects such as body weight gain and hepatomegaly in SY-treated animals, indicating little side effects of SY in liver and lipid metabolism. In addition, SY led to a decrease in the expression of G6Pase for gluconeogenesis in liver responsible for lowering blood glucose level and an increase in the expression of UCP3 in adipose tissue for the reduction of total and LDL-cholesterol level. Altogether, our data suggest that SY would be a potential therapeutic agent against type 2 diabetes and related metabolic disorders by ameliorating the glucose and lipid metabolism.

Biosynthesis and cellular localization of functional polyketides in the gastropod mollusc Scaphander lignarius

Opisthobranchs belong to a subclass of highly evolved and specialised marine gastropods that rely on the use of secondary metabolites for their survival. Here we report the full elucidation of the biosynthesis of aromatic metabolites, lignarenones, in one of these gastropods, the cephalaspidean Scaphander lignarius. Feeding experiments with ²H- and ¹³C-labelled precursors revealed a mixed acetate/propionate polyketide pathway primed by benzoic acid. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), unprecedented in animals, is central to the synthesis of this aromatic precursor by oxidative deamination of L-phenylalanine to cinnamic acid. Lignarenones are synthesised in the cytoplasm of specialised eukaryotic cells named Blochmann's glands, which are distributed in biosynthetic tissue localised in the vulnerable mantle of the mollusc. This result supports the hypothesis that this lineage of gastropods has acquired the genetic information to produce the chemical substances that they use for their survival.

Antiviral activities and putative identification of compounds in microbial extracts from the Hawaiian coastal waters

Marine environments are a rich source of significant bioactive compounds. The Hawaiian archipelago, located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, hosts diverse microorganisms, including many endemic species. Thirty-eight microbial extracts from Hawaiian coastal waters were evaluated for their antiviral activity against four mammalian viruses including herpes simplex virus type one (HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), vaccinia virus and poliovirus type one (poliovirus-1) using in vitro cell culture assay. Nine of the 38 microbial crude extracts showed antiviral potencies and three of these nine microbial extracts exhibited significant activity against the enveloped viruses. A secosteroid, 5α(H),17α(H),(20R)-beta-acetoxyergost-8(14)-ene was putatively identified and confirmed to be the active compound in these marine microbial extracts. These results warrant future in-depth tests on the isolation of these active elements in order to explore and validate their antiviral potential as important therapeutic remedies.

Synthetic strategies to terpene quinones/hydroquinones

The cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties of many natural sesquiterpene-quinones and -hydroquinones from sponges offer promising opportunities for the development of new drugs. A review dealing with different strategies for obtaining bioactive terpenyl quinones/hydroquinones is presented. The different synthetic approches for the preparation of the most relevant quinones/hydroquinones are described.

A new cytotoxic sesquiterpene quinone produced by Penicillium sp. F00120 isolated from a deep sea sediment sample

A new fungal strain, displaying strong toxic activity against brine shrimp larvae, was isolated from a deep sea sediment sample collected at a depth of 1300 m. The strain, designated as F00120, was identified as a member of the genus Penicillium on the basis of morphology and ITS sequence analysis. One new sesquiterpene quinone, named penicilliumin A (1), along with two known compounds ergosterol (2) and ergosterol peroxide (3), were isolated and purified from the cultures of F00120 by silica gel column, Sephadex LH-20 column, and preparative thin layer chromatography. Their structures were elucidated by detailed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectroscopic (MS) analysis as well as comparison with literature data. The new compound penicilliumin A inhibited in vitro proliferation of mouse melanoma (B16), human melanoma (A375), and human cervical carcinoma (Hela) cell lines moderately.