living fossils and approx. 8000 documented species and perhaps twice as many
un-described species. Sponges are capable of surviving in every type of marine
environment; either it is polar seas or temperate and tropical waters. They vary in
shape, size, and colours. From many years marine compounds derived from
sponges are under doing preclinical and clinical trials for anticancer activity and the
compounds are discodermolide, hemiasterlins A and B, modified halichondrin B,
KRN-70000, Alipkinidine (alkaloid), fascaphysins (alkaloid), isohomohalichondrin
B, Halichondrin B, Laulimalide/Fijianolide, 5-methoxyamphimedine (alkaloid) and
Variolin (alkaloid) respectively. In recent years, 43 new marine originated
anti-angiogenic agents have been investigated with unknown molecular mechanisms (Halim et al. 2011; Migliore and Coppede 2009).
Ara-C (1-beta-D-Arabnofuranosylcytosine or Cytarabine) is the first documented
marine derived anti-cancer agent. It is a nucleoside derivative of spongothymidine
and spongouridine, isolated from Tectibethrya crypta. Thyrsiferol, which is isolated
from marine red algae (genus: Laurencia), on the experimental studies shows a
potent anti-viral and anti-tumour activity. Renieramycins is isolated from a marine
sponge Reniera sp. which persuades apoptosis by following p53—a dependent
pathway and enable to inhibit progression and metastasis of lung cancer.
Monanchocidin is a polycyclic guanidine alkaloid isolated from Monanchora pulchra (a marine sponge) that encourages cell death in human monocytic leukemia,
human cervical cancer and mouse epidermal cells (Perdicaris et al. 2013).
Smenospongine, a sesquiterpene aminoquinone, extracted from the sponge
Smenospongia sp. is associated with anti-proliferetive and antiangiogenic activities.
Spongistatin 1, a macrocyclic lactone polyether, isolated from the marine
sponge Spongia sp. is associated with the inhibition of mitosis process, inclusion of
microtubule assembly and induction of cytotoxicity in cancer cells. In addition,
scientists purify a lectin from the marine sponge Cinachyrellaapion (CaL) and find
that it exerts hemolytic, cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activities. A marine sestertespene, isolated from the sponge Hyrtios sp. acts as an anticancer agent by
inhibiting chronic myclogenousrecekmia cells by regulating cell cycle, apoptosis,
mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPKs) pathway and nuclear factor kappa B
(NF-Ke) signalling cascade (Thakur and Müller 2004).
Marine algae include phytoplankton, seaweeds, sea anemones, etc. Seaweeds are
further categorized into four classes: (i) Chlorophyta (green algae) (ii) Phaeophyta
(brown algae) (iii) Rhodophyta (red algae) and (iv) Cyanobacteria (blue-green
algae). There are 6000 species of rhodophyta, 2000 species of phaeophyta and 1200
species of chlorophyta. Seaweeds are used in a variety of fields such as food
industry, fertilizer industry, pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic industry, etc.
Seaweeds have been proved as promising sources of bioactive compounds that
exert many biological activities including anti-cancer action. In many works of
literature, it has mentioned that daily intake of dietary carotenoids lowers the risk of
cancer. Dimethylsulfonioacetate, derived from Chlorophyta can bring improvement
in cancer cells and neural degeneration caused by brain cancer (Solanki et al. 2008;
Nguemfo et al. 2004; Zubia et al. 2007).
17 Biological Activities of Marine Products …
601
un-described species. Sponges are capable of surviving in every type of marine
environment; either it is polar seas or temperate and tropical waters. They vary in
shape, size, and colours. From many years marine compounds derived from
sponges are under doing preclinical and clinical trials for anticancer activity and the
compounds are discodermolide, hemiasterlins A and B, modified halichondrin B,
KRN-70000, Alipkinidine (alkaloid), fascaphysins (alkaloid), isohomohalichondrin
B, Halichondrin B, Laulimalide/Fijianolide, 5-methoxyamphimedine (alkaloid) and
Variolin (alkaloid) respectively. In recent years, 43 new marine originated
anti-angiogenic agents have been investigated with unknown molecular mechanisms (Halim et al. 2011; Migliore and Coppede 2009).
Ara-C (1-beta-D-Arabnofuranosylcytosine or Cytarabine) is the first documented
marine derived anti-cancer agent. It is a nucleoside derivative of spongothymidine
and spongouridine, isolated from Tectibethrya crypta. Thyrsiferol, which is isolated
from marine red algae (genus: Laurencia), on the experimental studies shows a
potent anti-viral and anti-tumour activity. Renieramycins is isolated from a marine
sponge Reniera sp. which persuades apoptosis by following p53—a dependent
pathway and enable to inhibit progression and metastasis of lung cancer.
Monanchocidin is a polycyclic guanidine alkaloid isolated from Monanchora pulchra (a marine sponge) that encourages cell death in human monocytic leukemia,
human cervical cancer and mouse epidermal cells (Perdicaris et al. 2013).
Smenospongine, a sesquiterpene aminoquinone, extracted from the sponge
Smenospongia sp. is associated with anti-proliferetive and antiangiogenic activities.
Spongistatin 1, a macrocyclic lactone polyether, isolated from the marine
sponge Spongia sp. is associated with the inhibition of mitosis process, inclusion of
microtubule assembly and induction of cytotoxicity in cancer cells. In addition,
scientists purify a lectin from the marine sponge Cinachyrellaapion (CaL) and find
that it exerts hemolytic, cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activities. A marine sestertespene, isolated from the sponge Hyrtios sp. acts as an anticancer agent by
inhibiting chronic myclogenousrecekmia cells by regulating cell cycle, apoptosis,
mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPKs) pathway and nuclear factor kappa B
(NF-Ke) signalling cascade (Thakur and Müller 2004).
Marine algae include phytoplankton, seaweeds, sea anemones, etc. Seaweeds are
further categorized into four classes: (i) Chlorophyta (green algae) (ii) Phaeophyta
(brown algae) (iii) Rhodophyta (red algae) and (iv) Cyanobacteria (blue-green
algae). There are 6000 species of rhodophyta, 2000 species of phaeophyta and 1200
species of chlorophyta. Seaweeds are used in a variety of fields such as food
industry, fertilizer industry, pharmaceutical industry, cosmetic industry, etc.
Seaweeds have been proved as promising sources of bioactive compounds that
exert many biological activities including anti-cancer action. In many works of
literature, it has mentioned that daily intake of dietary carotenoids lowers the risk of
cancer. Dimethylsulfonioacetate, derived from Chlorophyta can bring improvement
in cancer cells and neural degeneration caused by brain cancer (Solanki et al. 2008;
Nguemfo et al. 2004; Zubia et al. 2007).
17 Biological Activities of Marine Products …
601