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Courtesy of Terry Kirby Hathaway from the North Carolina Aquarium The oceans contribute to our health and lifestyles more than we think! Polysaccharides that come from red algae are used to treat peptic ulcers. Carrageenan, a compound from Irish moss, is used in foods and cosmetics. Agar is used in labs all over as a culture medium. Brown algae manufacture a compound, stypoldione, that seems to inhibit cell division of viruses like herpes and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). One of the first compounds derived from marine animals was discovered in the 1960's in a Caribbean sponge. This compound exhibits antitumor activity against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Still another sponge indigenous to Palau contains a calcium-blocking compound that is used to inhibit pain from bee stings and maybe cobra venom C it has the benefits of steroids without the side effects. From jellyfish, two compounds have been found: one that is an active agent against tissue inflammation (a potential killer of cancer cells) and one that accelerates the heart beat. A compound from soft corals is an anti-inflammatory. It is used in a skin cream that protects against skin damage. Palytoxin, found in a Hawaiian hard coral, destroys healthy and cancerous cells. Research is looking towards selective binding (kills unhealthy cells and leaves healthy cells alone). Coral skeletal structure is remarkably similar to human bone; it helps speed the regrowth of bone grafts. Bryostatin-1 comes from a bryozoan. It is a cancer-fighting compound, active against leukemia, renal cancer, and melanoma; and is in human clinical trials at present. The radula from the cone snail injects a paralyzing toxin (conotoxin) into its prey. One component of conotoxin is currently being used as a pain killer in a drug called SNX-111. This drug is 100-1000 times more effective than morphine and is non-addictive. Currently undergoing more intensive clinical trials. Mercene, an extract from clams, was injected into cancerous mice that lived and bred normally. Autopsies showed scar tissue where tumors had been. No anti-tumor activity is exhibited from clams in polluted waters! Mussels showed scientists the first marine super glue! It is used to repair corneas and retinas, and may soon work to secure dentures and dental fillings. LAL, or limulus amoebocyte lysate, is an extract from the blue blood of the horseshoe crab that is used to detect meningitis, septic shock and other forms of bacterially-related diseases. The blue crab has an exoskeleton from which chitin, a crystalline polymer, can be extracted. Chitin is used in absorbable, non-allergenic sutures. Chitosan (derivative of chitin) has various uses in food, cosmetics, and drugs. Sea squirts produce didemnin-B, a compound that works against leukemia, melanoma, and ovarian cancer. It is similar to cyclosporin, and immuno-suppressor that decreases transplant rejection. Another compound encourages skin grafts and suppresses T-lymphocyte production. Currently scheduled for human clinical trials. Squalamine, a potent antibiotic found in the liver of dogfish sharks works differently than other antibiotics, so it may be useful in fighting diseases that have become drug resistant. It also seems to inhibit the growth of blood vessels around some tumors. Research on shark cartilage continues. The nerve toxin tetrodotoxin is concentrated in the liver, ovaries, and intestines of puffer fish. It blocks the channel in nerves through which sodium flows. No sodium = paralyzed nerve. The drug derived from tetrodotoxin is currently used in eye surgery Student Activity 1. Pretend that you are a newspaper reporter. Choose one of the following groups of marine organisms -- sponges, algae, or corals -- and carefully research how this group of organisms contributes to pharmacology. Then write a one-page article on the topic, keeping in mind that it should grab the reader’s attention and be as accurate as possible.Harmful Algal Blooms can be introduced when teaching about water quality, food chains and webs (phytoplankton), and health. From "The Harmful Algae Page," National Office for Marine Biotoxins and Harmful Algal Blooms, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. |
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