Believe it or not, most drugs available today are derived from natural sources. For example, Penicillin was identified from common bread mold and aspirin from the willow tree. And while nearly all drugs’ roots lie in land-dwelling organisms, research recently suggests that marine invertebrates produce more anti-cancer, antibiotic, and anti-inflammatory substances. Compounds from marine sources such as tunicates, bryozoans, ascidians, octocorals, annelids, echinoderms, mollusks, and sponges are now being tested as treatments for ailments such as asthma, chronic pain, and various malignancies (cancers).
Anti-Cancer Sponges
There is a sponge found in Manado Bay, Indonesia, that produces a chemical found to inhibit the growth of and kill cancer cells in mice. The molecule, called manzamine A, stopped the growth of cervical cancer cells in mice and even caused some cells to die – but only the cancerous cells. It had no ill effect on healthy cells.
The researchers that made this discovery had previously identified other sponge-derived compounds effective against melanoma as well as prostate and pancreatic cancers. Mark T. Hamann, one of the scientists involved in the study, said:
This is a highly exciting new application for a molecule that has earlier shown significant potential for the control of malaria and has good drug-like properties. Natural products have led to the development of most of our antibiotics and anti-cancer therapies and many controls for pain.
The discovery is far from a clinical drug, but it powerfully highlights the importance of ocean preservation. If we destroy marine ecosystems, then we are eliminating much of the natural world’s supply of potentially life-saving compounds.
Ideally, the sponges would be farmed in their natural habitat. But for that to be possible, the environment has to be hospitable. Projections show that one-third of our global species diversity will be lost due to climate change if measures aren’t taken to keep temperatures from rising.
Other Marine Medicine Makers
Tunicates contain a chemical called Ecteinascidin. It is currently being tested in humans for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancers, as well as other solid tumors. Bryozoan contains Bryostatin, which could potentially treat melanoma and leukemia. Octocoral (sea whip) contains Pseudopterosins, an analgesic agent, and an anti-inflammatory that reduces skin irritation and swelling, thus accelerating wound healing. And the cone snail extract w-conotoxin MVIIA is a potent pain-killer.
Defense For Them, Drugs For Us
Interestingly, notice how all the organisms on this list except the cone snail are non-moving (sessile) invertebrates? Well, most marine invertebrates that produce pharmacologically active substances are sessile, and scientists speculate that its because the chemicals are a defense mechanism. They likely use it to repel predators since they can’t run away. Likewise, the antibiotic agents probably protect against disease-causing organisms since many of these organisms are also filter feeders.
As far as the anti-cancer agents go, the organisms possess chemicals with such powers because of competition for space. In their case, the substance is used to kill rapidly dividing cells – which would be another organism competing for the same area. However, in our case with cancer, the tumor is the rapidly dividing cells since those cells are dividing faster than normal ones.
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