Role of Marine Life in Nanomedicine

Indian Journal of Innovations and Developments

www.iseeadyar.org/ijid.htm

Vol. 1 No. S 8 (Aug 2012)

ISSN: 2277–5382

Role of Marine Life in Nanomedicine S. Srividhya* and C.Chellaram Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Engineering College Chennai-600 054. Tamilnadu *[email protected]

Abstract: Marine organisms fight daily for both food and survival, and this underwater warfare is waged with chemicals. As with plants, researchers have recognized the potential use of this chemical weaponry to kill bacteria or raging cancer cells. Scientists isolated the first marine-derived cancer drug, now known as Cytosar-U, decades ago. Scientists have unearthed several promising drugs from sea creatures in nanoscale. The use of marine plants in nanomedicine is still in the early stages of exploration and faces many challenges, including identification of useful chemicals and the cultivation of significant quantities. Dino flagellates and other microalgae are being investigated for compounds that might fight cancerous tumors. Diluted algae toxins from red tides can be used to inhibit the growth of most bacteria. Green algae have halosphaerin, a strong antibiotic. Seaweed is used in wound dressings in hospitals and as a source of iodine, A, B, D, and E vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfur, and trace antioxidants such as selenium and zinc . Keywords: Marine animals, tunicates, sponges, soft corals, sea hares, kelp, sea slugs I. INTRODUCTION Over the years, the NCI has been screening terrestrial plants and marine organisms worldwide for bioactivity and has come up with a number of hot prospects, a number of which are in clinical trials. The Ocean is the source of structurally unique natural products that are mainly accumulated in living organisms. Several of these compounds show pharmacological activities and are helpful for the invention and discovery of bioactive compounds, primarily for deadly diseases like cancer, acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (AIDS), arthritis, etc., while other compounds have been developed as analgesics or to treat inflammation, etc. The life saving drugs are mainly found abundantly in microorganisms, algae and invertebrates, while they are scarce in vertebrates. Modern technologies have opened vast areas of research for the extraction of biomedical compounds from oceans and seas. Nano medicines isolated from marine life are essentially useful in killing the target cells without any harmful activities to the neighboring cells. The marine environment may contain over 80% of world’s plant and animal species. In recent years, many bioactive compounds have been extracted from various

marine animals like tunicates, sponges, soft corals, sea hares, nudibranchs, bryozoans, sea slugs and marine organisms The search for new metabolites from marine organisms has resulted in the isolation of more or less 10,000 metabolites many of which are endowed with pharmacodynamic properties. Toadfish Blessed with the fastest twitching muscles in the vertebrate world, the toadfish can vibrate its swim bladder muscle an astounding 200 times per second, more than twice the speed of a rattlesnake tail and at least 40 times faster than the strides of the hapless Johnson. But, these days, toadfish are also wooing scientists to develop nanomecidine for heart disease to human nerve regeneration. After injecting, muscles that can contract and relax as fast as a toadfish bladder could provide clues on how to help failing human muscles of all kinds. Seaweed

Seaweed is a healing food for the modern era. A number of research have shown the effectiveness of sea plants and algae on human and animal health. Marine and soft water algae (seaweeds) have curative powers for tuberculosis, arthritis, colds and influenza, worm infestations. The production of nanoparticles for medicinal from seaweed had cured tuberculosis in an effective manner. Some sea plants produces an vermifugal agent (kainic acid). The electrolytic magnetic action of the sea plants releases excess body fluids from congested cells and dissolves fatty wastes through the skin, replacing them with depleted minerals, particularly potassium and iodine. Nanomedicine obtained from these sea plants are used to dissolve unsaturated fats in the body. Ocean/Sea algae are the richest natural source of minerals, trace minerals, Iodine and rare earth elements. If there is enough iodine in our bodies, radioactive fallout is no longer able to concentrate in the thyroid and it will simply pass through. Brown Algae Kelp (brown algae) contains over 60 minerals and elements, 21 amino acids, simple and complex carbohydrates and several essential plant growth hormones. Being rich in amino acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements is one of the key reasons why kelp is known as a great promoter of glandular health, especially for the pituitary, adrenal and thyroid glands. Kelp also supplies a natural source of iodine, which acts as an antibiotic to kill germs. Since the thyroid

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and pituitary glands regulate certain functions of digestion, kelp is beneficial in balancing out humans and animal's total system. Nature has offered us this marvelous herb of the sea in a complete and balanced form. Birth Defects (prevention), Dropsy, Edema, Fatigue, Glands, Goiter, Low Blood Pressure, Morning Sickness, Pituitary/Thyroid Problems, Pleurisy, Schizophrenia, Senility, Stomach (bleeding), Varicose Veins, Venereal Disease, Vitality, Weight Loss are certain curabilities by the application of kelp with nano. Red Marine Algae Red marine algae have been used to assist the body's immune system to respond to virus attacks, and a regular intake can reduce the number of viral attacks and their severity. It has been used in combination with nanoscience for ailments, including boils, urinary infections, asthma, goiter and stomach problems, and also for ulcers and tumors with varying degrees of success. The scientific basis for these applications is varied, but it is the topical use to eradicate cold sores that it best known for in the West, though it has been claimed to be an effective means of reducing the cholesterol levels in the blood. Marine tunicate Tunicates are among the many marine medical treasures that may lie beneath the sea. Medicine in the hopes of opening new frontiers for clinical applications. There is a common fish that routinely cures itself of coronary artery disease, a marine animal that has kidney stones and dissolves them, animals that clone themselves and others that are severely anemic. Many marine animals share the same ailments as humans but have found ways to overcome them. It is the goal and hope that some of the insights will begin to open new frontiers for clinical applications. As the curious look to the sea for a deeper level of understanding about human disease, it will become evident that marine biology has an essential role to play in medicine. Horseshoe Crab: A horseshoe crab has blue blood which is copper based instead of iron based like our blood ( that’s why it’s blue instead of red). This blood has another unique quality, horseshoe crabs blood will gel when it comes in contact with bacteria or endotoxins. This action is part of the horseshoe crabs primitive immune system. If a horseshoe crab sustains an injury such as a cut, when bacteria tries to enter it’s body, it’s blood jells which creates a barrier against the bacteria. Biomedical companies have found a way to extract a nano compound that makes their blood jell from amebocytes (the only blood cell present ) in the horseshoe crab’s hemolymph. It is used to detect endotoxins associated with gram-negative bacteria. These pathogenic bacteria can illicit a pyrogenic response if introduced into the human blood stream, which involves fever, coma or even death. This is currently the most effective way to test for gram negative endotoxins Sea Urchins The study of sea urchins is being used to further research in human reproduction. Because many of the amino acid sequences in the DNA of humans and sea urchins match, nd

Vol. 1 No. S 8 (Aug 2012)

ISSN: 2277–5382

they may lead to clues about how to help with such an issue as infertility. Sea urchins can each produce 20 million eggs; the reasons for this virility may lead to new insights in infertility in humans. Scientists have discovered that sea urchins regulate their reproduction by using a special combination of carbohydrates and proteins. New understandings in sea urchin fertilization could lead to developments in human fertility interventions as well as contraception. Sea urchins have been used to further the research of many diseases that affect humans. Sea urchins and humans share more than 7,000 genes. By mapping sea urchin DNA, scientists have unlocked information about how human diseases may form. Some of the genes in the sea urchin are related to Parkinson's disease, diabetes insipidus, cancer and muscular dystrophy. Understanding how these genes develop and change in sea urchins may lead to better understanding of the treatment and course of the diseases that affect humans. The successes of the sea urchin's immune system are also of interest to medical researchers. Cuttlefish Cuttlefish bone has salty and warm properties, and is associated with the Kidney, Liver and Stomach meridians. Its functions are to stop bleeding, harmonize the stomach and improve kidney deficiency. Internally, it is taken to help stop bleeding of the uterus, enuresis and premature ejaculation. Topically, cuttlefish bone can be used as a poultice to treat skin rashes, ulcers and lesions. Anti Cancer Drug K. Variolosa, the colorful bright red sponge, has known to produce anti-cancer drugs. The rare coloration of this sponge with nano is of great future for cancer treatment. Sponge is not only to camouflage itself from predators and defending itself by showing off its angry-looking color, the pigment is useful in human medicine. Pigments from the colored sponges are bioactive and cause sea star tube-foot retraction. A anti-cancer drug, a compound Variolin-B (VAR-B), is isolated and prevents the cancer cells from entering S-phase, blocking cells in G1 and cause an accumulation of cells in G2. It inhibits CDKs and induces apoptosis. This drug is also useful for anti-tumor and antiviral activity. Anti HIV product A marine sponge, Monanchora unguifera, produces antiHIV products derived from alkaloids, Batzelladine alkaloids. Batzelladines interfere with protein-protein interactions including HIV-1 gp120-human CD4. The process of HIV-1 infection is initiated by attachment of HIV-1 to cells through a high affinity interactions between viral envelope gp120 and CD4 receptor on the surface of a T cell. The derivatives of Batzelladine alkaloids deter the binding of gp120 to CD4; therefore, blocking the entry of viral DNA and inhibiting the replication inside the host cells. However, current treatments do not target all HIV proteins and a large number of active compounds have yet to be identified. Coral reef

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Many coral reef species produce chemicals like histamines and antibiotics used in medicine and science . A devastating loss of biodiversity could mean that fewer species will be around for future medicinal research and biomedical studies. Eleutherobin is able to bind to a protein material within cellular structures called microtubules and make them extremely rigid, a process that prevents cancerous cells from dividing and multiplying.It appears to function similarly to taxol in preventing cancer cells from dividing, which is a breakthrough drug in preventinng breast and ovarian cancer. Sarcophytols A and B, extracted from a Pacific soft coral called Sarcopyton glaucum, have been found to possess antitumor promoting characteristics. A product called hydroxyapatite(HA)can be produced by the exoskeletons of marine coral, which can act as a bone graft to facilitate the reqrowth of bone. HA is similar in structure to human bone, thus can fill voids cause by fractures or other trauma in the upper, flared-out portions of long bones.FDA approved the HA product Pro Osteon Implant 500, made by Interpore International, in 1992. When HA is implanted into a bone void, its web-like structure allows surrounding bone and fibrous tissue to infiltrate the implant and make it biologically part of the body. Studies claim that coral calcium, extracted from coral can cure. Cancer, Diabetes, Arthritis, Heart Disease, Osteoporosis, Eczema, Alzheimer's Disease, Fibromyalgia, High Cholesterol, Muscle Cramps, Kidney Stones, Gallstones, Gout, Indigestion, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lupus, Hiatal Hernia, Hypertension, Headaches and many, many more. Calcium can be extracted from coral exoskeleton. Organic materials extracted from coral may be used as new anti-HIV medicine. Secosteroids, an enzyme used by corals to protect themselves from disease, is used to treat asthma, arthritis and other inflammatory disorders

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ISSN: 2277–5382

1. Harvey, A. Strategies for discovering drugs from previously

unexplored natural products. Drug Discov Today. 2000, 5, 294300. 2. McCarthy, P. J.; Pomponi, S.A. A search for new Pharmaceutical Drugs from marine organisms. Marine Biomed. Res. 2004, 12.(www.at_sea.org/missions/fathoming/biomedical.html). 3. Donia, M.; Hamann, M. T. Marine natural products and their potential applications as antiinfective agents. The Lancet. 2003, 3, 338-348. 4. Haefner, B. Drugs from the Deep. Drug Discov. Today. 2003, 8, 536-544. 5. Fuesetani, N. In Drugs from the Sea. Fuesetani, M., Ed.; Basel: Karger, 2000; Chapter 1, p1-5. 6. Joffe, S.; Thomas, R. Phytochemicals: a renewable global resource. Biotech News Information.1989, 1, 697-700. 7. Faulkner, D. Biomedical uses for natural marine chemicals. J. Oceanus. 1992, 35,29-35. 8. Wolf, S. G. In Drugs from the Sea. Kaul, P. N.; Siderman, C. S., Ed.; The University of Oklahoma Press: Norman, 1978; pp. 715. 9. Halvey, S. In Microbiology: Applications in Food Biotechnology. Nga, B. H.; Lu, Y. K. Ed.;Elsevier Applied Science Press: New York, 1990; pp. 123-134. 10. Salisbury, F. Doubts about the modern synthetic theory of evolution. Am Biol Teach. 1971,33,335-336.

II. CONCLUSION Marine sources could be the major source of drugs for the next decade. The currently conducted laboratory testing on a marine organisms, which has been sourced from the Mediterranean have the potential to deliver drugs and other substances to their sites of application. It has now developed the ability to produce the material synthetically. This opens up vast possibilities for its utilisation in the process of the transportation of medicinal drugs in nanoscale. ACKNOWLEDGMENT Authors thank sincerely to Chancellor Prof. R. Rangarajan, Vel Tech Dr. RR & Dr. SR Technical University and Director and Principal, Vel Tech Multi Tech Dr. Rangarajan Dr. Sakunthala Rangarajan Engineering College, for their unremitting encouragement and valuable advices

REFERENCE

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