Corals
179
Part A | 7.1
7. Corals
Mohammad Kazem Khalesi
Almost 50% of cytotoxic compounds are isolated
from marine organisms such as sponges and corals.
Symbiotic corals, mainly soft corals, are potential
sources of many unique metabolites including cytotoxic and anticancer compounds. This review
focuses on secondary biochemicals with potential
biomedical properties extracted from both soft and
hard coral species. The coral-derived compounds
and extracts, for which biological activities have
been reported, are discussed in this review, which
covers the years from 1975 to late 2012. For distinction, members of each coral family, and the
relevant genera and species have been surveyed
separately. A total of 244 compounds (excluding
crude extracts) have been introduced from 15 and
6 families each with 139 and 16 species of soft
and hard corals, respectively. The majority of introduced compounds are promising as potential
cancer therapeutics.
7.1 Background .......................................... 179
7.2 Potential Pharmaceuticals
from Soft Corals .................................... 180
7.2.1
Family Alcyoniidae
(Subclass Octocorallia)................. 181
7.2.2 Family Anthothelidae.................. 185
7.2.3 Family Gorgoniidae .................... 185
7.2.4 Subergorgiidae ........................... 187
7.2.5 Family Briareidae ....................... 187
7.2.6 Family Plexauridae ..................... 187
7.2.7
Family Acanthogorgiidae ............ 189
7.2.8 Family Nephtheidae.................... 189
7.2.9 Family Clavulariidae ................... 191
7.2.10 Family Tubiporidae ..................... 192
7.2.11 Family Ellisellidae ....................... 192
7.2.12 Family Xeniidae .......................... 193
7.2.13 Family Melithaeidae ................... 194
7.2.14 Family Isididae........................... 194
7.2.15 Family Zoanthidae
(Subclass Hexacoralia
D Zoantharia) ............................ 195
7.3 Potential Pharmaceuticals
from Hard Corals ................................... 196
7.3.1
Family Poritidae ......................... 196
7.3.2 Family Dendrophylliidae ............. 196
7.3.3 Family Milleporidae .................... 196
7.3.4 Family Acroporidae ..................... 196
7.3.5 Family Pocilloporidae.................. 197
7.3.6 Family Oculinidae ....................... 197
7.3.7
Family Helioporidae.................... 197
7.3.8 Family Pectiniidae ...................... 197
7.3.9 Family Mussidae ......................... 197
7.4 Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids (MAAs) .... 197
7.5 Conclusion ............................................ 197
References................................................... 204
7.1 Background
The marine environment represents a treasure of useful
products that await discovery to used for the treatment
of infectious diseases [7.1]. Medicines derived from
marine organisms, specifically invertebrates, as a source
of novel compounds have been investigated because
of their potential for producing new drugs (e.g., toxins with high potency and low solubility), which makes
them particularly suitable for consideration as sources
of antineoplastic agents [7.2]. Almost 50% of cytotoxic
compounds have been isolated from marine organisms
such as sponges and corals (reviewed in [7.3]). In comparison with the other life-forms, bioactive compounds
have been detected frequently, albeit after sponges, in
symbiotic corals, mainly soft corals.
There are two subclasses in Anthozoa, namely,
Hexacorallia (zoantharia) and Octocorallia. Soft corals
(octocorals: phylum Cnidaria (formerly Coelenterata),
class Anthoza, subclass Octocorallia) are multicellular
179
Part A | 7.1
7. Corals
Mohammad Kazem Khalesi
Almost 50% of cytotoxic compounds are isolated
from marine organisms such as sponges and corals.
Symbiotic corals, mainly soft corals, are potential
sources of many unique metabolites including cytotoxic and anticancer compounds. This review
focuses on secondary biochemicals with potential
biomedical properties extracted from both soft and
hard coral species. The coral-derived compounds
and extracts, for which biological activities have
been reported, are discussed in this review, which
covers the years from 1975 to late 2012. For distinction, members of each coral family, and the
relevant genera and species have been surveyed
separately. A total of 244 compounds (excluding
crude extracts) have been introduced from 15 and
6 families each with 139 and 16 species of soft
and hard corals, respectively. The majority of introduced compounds are promising as potential
cancer therapeutics.
7.1 Background .......................................... 179
7.2 Potential Pharmaceuticals
from Soft Corals .................................... 180
7.2.1
Family Alcyoniidae
(Subclass Octocorallia)................. 181
7.2.2 Family Anthothelidae.................. 185
7.2.3 Family Gorgoniidae .................... 185
7.2.4 Subergorgiidae ........................... 187
7.2.5 Family Briareidae ....................... 187
7.2.6 Family Plexauridae ..................... 187
7.2.7
Family Acanthogorgiidae ............ 189
7.2.8 Family Nephtheidae.................... 189
7.2.9 Family Clavulariidae ................... 191
7.2.10 Family Tubiporidae ..................... 192
7.2.11 Family Ellisellidae ....................... 192
7.2.12 Family Xeniidae .......................... 193
7.2.13 Family Melithaeidae ................... 194
7.2.14 Family Isididae........................... 194
7.2.15 Family Zoanthidae
(Subclass Hexacoralia
D Zoantharia) ............................ 195
7.3 Potential Pharmaceuticals
from Hard Corals ................................... 196
7.3.1
Family Poritidae ......................... 196
7.3.2 Family Dendrophylliidae ............. 196
7.3.3 Family Milleporidae .................... 196
7.3.4 Family Acroporidae ..................... 196
7.3.5 Family Pocilloporidae.................. 197
7.3.6 Family Oculinidae ....................... 197
7.3.7
Family Helioporidae.................... 197
7.3.8 Family Pectiniidae ...................... 197
7.3.9 Family Mussidae ......................... 197
7.4 Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids (MAAs) .... 197
7.5 Conclusion ............................................ 197
References................................................... 204
7.1 Background
The marine environment represents a treasure of useful
products that await discovery to used for the treatment
of infectious diseases [7.1]. Medicines derived from
marine organisms, specifically invertebrates, as a source
of novel compounds have been investigated because
of their potential for producing new drugs (e.g., toxins with high potency and low solubility), which makes
them particularly suitable for consideration as sources
of antineoplastic agents [7.2]. Almost 50% of cytotoxic
compounds have been isolated from marine organisms
such as sponges and corals (reviewed in [7.3]). In comparison with the other life-forms, bioactive compounds
have been detected frequently, albeit after sponges, in
symbiotic corals, mainly soft corals.
There are two subclasses in Anthozoa, namely,
Hexacorallia (zoantharia) and Octocorallia. Soft corals
(octocorals: phylum Cnidaria (formerly Coelenterata),
class Anthoza, subclass Octocorallia) are multicellular