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Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Medicinal Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 42814

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Madalena Pinto

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Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
2. Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Interests: drug discovery; synthesis and molecular modification of pharmacologically active compounds based on natural models from plant and marine sources; chiral bioactive compounds; chiral recognition and chiral analyses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marta Correia-da-Silva

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Laboratório de Química Orgânica e Farmacêutica, Departamento de Ciências, Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
2. CIIMAR | Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Novo Edifício do Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
Interests: medicinal chemistry; synthesis of sulfated and glycosylated small-molecule mimetics of heparin; discovery of biological activities for persulfated versus partially sulfated small molecules; antifouling studies of partially sulfated small molecules; antithrombotic studies of persulfated small molecules; structure–activity and structure–property relationship studies of bioactive small molecules
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The sea is “in fashion”! Research involving marine products, either as sources or products, has shown a remarkable upsurge around the world.The principal goal of this Special Issue is to cover all aspects of the chemistry of molecules isolated from diverse marine organisms, including macro- and microorganisms such as algae, sponges, corals, fungi, and bacteria. Impressive chemical diversity is characterized by the structurally diverse classes of secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols, flavones, xanthones, polyketides, alkaloids, steroids, peptides, carbohydrates, among others. Moreover, these marine-derived compounds also display a myriad of biological and pharmacological activities.This “double diversity” can lead to the most varied of applications: i) pharmaceutical—for example, antitumor, antibiotic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, anti-neoplastic, and anti-inflammatory agents; ii) cosmetic—such as photoprotectives, anti-tyrosinase, UV protectors, antioxidants, and anti-wrinkling agents; and iii) chemical industries as is the case of antifouling agents.As one of the problems associated with the extraction of natural products is related to insufficient quantities obtained for fulfilling the demand, in addition to the sustainability of the species used for extraction, obtaining these secondary metabolites through synthetic processes represents a possible alternative.We kindly invite our colleagues who are dedicated to the research of marine products, including their isolation or synthesis and exploration of their potential applications, to contribute to this Special Issue! 

Prof. Dr. Madalena Pinto
Prof. Dr. Marta Correia da Silva
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • marine products
  • secondary metabolites
  • isolation
  • synthesis
  • industrial applications
  • cosmeceuticals
  • drugs
  • marine industries

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1916 KiB  
Article
Valorization of Fermented Shrimp Waste with Supercritical CO2 Conditions: Extraction of Astaxanthin and Effect of Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion on Its Antioxidant Capacity
by Luis Angel Cabanillas-Bojórquez, Erick Paul Gutiérrez-Grijalva, Gustavo Adolfo González-Aguilar, Leticia Xochitl López-Martinez, Ramón Ignacio Castillo-López, Pedro de Jesús Bastidas-Bastidas and José Basilio Heredia
Molecules 2021, 26(15), 4465; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26154465 - 24 Jul 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3408
Abstract
Lactic acid fermentation increases the bioactive properties of shrimp waste. Astaxanthin is the principal carotenoid present in shrimp waste, which can be found esterified in the liquid fraction (liquor) after its lactic acid fermentation. Supercritical CO2 technology has been proposed as a [...] Read more.
Lactic acid fermentation increases the bioactive properties of shrimp waste. Astaxanthin is the principal carotenoid present in shrimp waste, which can be found esterified in the liquid fraction (liquor) after its lactic acid fermentation. Supercritical CO2 technology has been proposed as a green alternative to obtain astaxanthin from fermented shrimp waste. This study aimed to optimize astaxanthin extraction by supercritical CO2 technology from fermented liquor of shrimp waste and study bioaccessibility using simulated gastrointestinal digestion (GD) of the optimized extract. A Box–Behnken design with three variables (pressure, temperature, and flow rate) was used to optimize the supercritical CO2 extraction. The optimized CO2 extract was obtained at 300 bar, 60 °C, and 6 mL/min, and the estimated characteristics showed a predictive extraction yield of 11.17%, antioxidant capacity of 1.965 mmol of Trolox equivalent (TE)/g, and astaxanthin concentration of 0.6353 µg/g. The experiment with optimal conditions performed to validate the predicted values showed an extraction yield of 12.62%, an antioxidant capacity of 1.784 mmol TE/g, and an astaxanthin concentration of 0.52 µg/g. The astaxanthin concentration decreased, and the antioxidant capacity of the optimized extract increased during gastrointestinal digestion. In conclusion, our optimized supercritical CO2 process is suitable for obtaining astaxanthin from shrimp by-products after lactic acid fermentation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications)
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25 pages, 5722 KiB  
Article
Fucoxanthin Holds Potential to Become a Drug Adjuvant in Breast Cancer Treatment: Evidence from 2D and 3D Cell Cultures
by Fernanda Malhão, Ana Catarina Macedo, Carla Costa, Eduardo Rocha and Alice Abreu Ramos
Molecules 2021, 26(14), 4288; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26144288 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3656
Abstract
Fucoxanthin (Fx) is a carotenoid derived from marine organisms that exhibits anticancer activities. However, its role as a potential drug adjuvant in breast cancer (BC) treatment is still poorly explored. Firstly, this study investigated the cytotoxic effects of Fx alone and combined with [...] Read more.
Fucoxanthin (Fx) is a carotenoid derived from marine organisms that exhibits anticancer activities. However, its role as a potential drug adjuvant in breast cancer (BC) treatment is still poorly explored. Firstly, this study investigated the cytotoxic effects of Fx alone and combined with doxorubicin (Dox) and cisplatin (Cis) on a panel of 2D-cultured BC cell lines (MCF7, SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231) and one non-tumoral cell line (MCF12A). Fucoxanthin induced cytotoxicity against all the cell lines and potentiated Dox cytotoxic effects towards the SKBR3 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The combination triggering the highest cytotoxicity (Fx 10 µM + Dox 1 µM in MDA-MB-231) additionally showed significant induction of cell death and genotoxic effects, relative to control. In sequence, the same combination was tested on 3D cultures using a multi-endpoint approach involving bioactivity assays and microscopy techniques. Similar to 2D cultures, the combination of Fx and Dox showed higher cytotoxic effects on 3D cultures compared to the isolated compounds. Furthermore, this combination increased the number of apoptotic cells, decreased cell proliferation, and caused structural and ultrastructural damages on the 3D models. Overall, our findings suggest Fx has potential to become an adjuvant for Dox chemotherapy regimens in BC treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications)
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Review

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49 pages, 35752 KiB  
Review
Resolvins, Protectins, and Maresins: DHA-Derived Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators, Biosynthetic Pathways, Synthetic Approaches, and Their Role in Inflammation
by Inês Ferreira, Filipa Falcato, Narcisa Bandarra and Amélia P. Rauter
Molecules 2022, 27(5), 1677; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27051677 - 3 Mar 2022
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 6940
Abstract
Marine organisms are an important source of natural products with unique and diverse chemical structures that may hold the key for the development of novel drugs. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid marine natural product playing a crucial regulatory role in [...] Read more.
Marine organisms are an important source of natural products with unique and diverse chemical structures that may hold the key for the development of novel drugs. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 fatty acid marine natural product playing a crucial regulatory role in the resolution of inflammation and acting as a precursor for the biosynthesis of the anti-inflammatory specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) resolvins, protectins, and maresins. These metabolites exert many beneficial actions including neuroprotection, anti-hypertension, or anti-tumorigenesis. As dysregulation of SPMs is associated with diseases of prolonged inflammation, the disclosure of their bioactivities may be correlated with anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving capabilities, offering new targets for drug design. The availability of these SPMs from natural resources is very low, but the evaluation of their pharmacological properties requires their access in larger amounts, as achieved by synthetic routes. In this report, the first review of the total organic syntheses carried out for resolvins, protectins, and maresins is presented. Recently, it was proposed that DHA-derived pro-resolving mediators play a key role in the treatment of COVID-19. In this work we also review the current evidence on the structures, biosynthesis, and functional and new-found roles of these novel lipid mediators of disease resolution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications)
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13 pages, 2424 KiB  
Review
Secondary Metabolites from Marine Sources with Potential Use as Leads for Anticancer Applications
by Ana C. S. Veríssimo, Mário Pacheco, Artur M. S. Silva and Diana C. G. A. Pinto
Molecules 2021, 26(14), 4292; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26144292 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3058
Abstract
The development of novel anticancer agents is essential to finding new ways to treat this disease, one of the deadliest diseases. Some marine organisms have proved to be important producers of chemically active compounds with valuable bioactive properties, including anticancer. Thus, the ocean [...] Read more.
The development of novel anticancer agents is essential to finding new ways to treat this disease, one of the deadliest diseases. Some marine organisms have proved to be important producers of chemically active compounds with valuable bioactive properties, including anticancer. Thus, the ocean has proved to be a huge source of bioactive compounds, making the discovery and study of these compounds a growing area. In the last few years, several compounds of marine origin, which include algae, corals, and sea urchins, have been isolated, studied, and demonstrated to possess anticancer properties. These compounds, mainly from securamines and sterols families, have been tested for cytotoxic/antiproliferative activity in different cell lines. Bioactive compounds isolated from marine organisms in the past 5 years that have shown anticancer activity, emphasizing the ones that showed the highest cytotoxic activity, such as securamines H and I, cholest-3β,5α,6β-triol, (E)-24-methylcholest-22-ene-3β,5α,6β-triol, 24-methylenecholesta-3β,5α,6β-triol, and 24-methylcholesta-3β,5α,6β-triol, will be discussed in this review. These studies reveal the possibility of new compounds of marine origin being used as new therapeutic agents or as a source of inspiration to develop new therapeutic agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications)
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21 pages, 5078 KiB  
Review
Small Molecules of Marine Origin as Potential Anti-Glioma Agents
by Ana Alves, Paulo Costa, Madalena Pinto, Domingos Ferreira and Marta Correia-da-Silva
Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2707; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26092707 - 5 May 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4469
Abstract
Marine organisms are able to produce a plethora of small molecules with novel chemical structures and potent biological properties, being a fertile source for discovery of pharmacologically active compounds, already with several marine-derived agents approved as drugs. Glioma is classified by the WHO [...] Read more.
Marine organisms are able to produce a plethora of small molecules with novel chemical structures and potent biological properties, being a fertile source for discovery of pharmacologically active compounds, already with several marine-derived agents approved as drugs. Glioma is classified by the WHO as the most common and aggressive form of tumor on CNS. Currently, Temozolomide is the only chemotherapeutic option approved by the FDA even though having some limitations. This review presents, for the first time, a comprehensive overview of marine compounds described as anti-glioma agents in the last decade. Nearly fifty compounds were compiled in this document and organized accordingly to their marine sources. Highlights on the mechanism of action and ADME properties were included. Some of these marine compounds could be promising leads for the discovery of new therapeutic alternatives for glioma treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications)
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27 pages, 7582 KiB  
Review
Marine-Derived Compounds and Prospects for Their Antifungal Application
by Joana Cardoso, Darlan Gonçalves Nakayama, Emília Sousa and Eugénia Pinto
Molecules 2020, 25(24), 5856; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25245856 - 11 Dec 2020
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6303
Abstract
The introduction of antifungals in clinical practice has an enormous impact on the provision of medical care, increasing the expectancy and quality of life mainly of immunocompromised patients. However, the emergence of pathogenic fungi that are resistant and multi-resistant to the existing antifungal [...] Read more.
The introduction of antifungals in clinical practice has an enormous impact on the provision of medical care, increasing the expectancy and quality of life mainly of immunocompromised patients. However, the emergence of pathogenic fungi that are resistant and multi-resistant to the existing antifungal therapy has culminated in fungal infections that are almost impossible to treat. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover new strategies. The marine environment has proven to be a promising rich resource for the discovery and development of new antifungal compounds. Thus, this review summarizes more than one hundred marine natural products, or their derivatives, which are categorized according to their sources—sponges, bacteria, fungi, and sea cucumbers—as potential candidates as antifungal agents. In addition, this review focus on recent developments using marine antifungal compounds as new and effective approaches for the treatment of infections caused by resistant and multi-resistant pathogenic fungi and/or biofilm formation; other perspectives on antifungal marine products highlight new mechanisms of action, the combination of antifungal and non-antifungal agents, and the use of nanoparticles and anti-virulence therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications)
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38 pages, 2266 KiB  
Review
Marine-Derived Compounds with Potential Use as Cosmeceuticals and Nutricosmetics
by Ana Alves, Emília Sousa, Anake Kijjoa and Madalena Pinto
Molecules 2020, 25(11), 2536; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25112536 - 29 May 2020
Cited by 86 | Viewed by 13670
Abstract
The cosmetic industry is among the fastest growing industries in the last decade. As the beauty concepts have been revolutionized, many terms have been coined to accompany the innovation of this industry, since the beauty products are not just confined to those that [...] Read more.
The cosmetic industry is among the fastest growing industries in the last decade. As the beauty concepts have been revolutionized, many terms have been coined to accompany the innovation of this industry, since the beauty products are not just confined to those that are applied to protect and enhance the appearance of the human body. Consequently, the terms such as cosmeceuticals and nutricosmetics have emerged to give a notion of the health benefits of the products that create the beauty from inside to outside. In the past years, natural products-based cosmeceuticals have gained a huge amount of attention not only from researchers but also from the public due to the general belief that they are harmless. Notably, in recent years, the demand for cosmeceuticals from the marine resources has been exponentially on the rise due to their unique chemical and biological properties that are not found in terrestrial resources. Therefore, the present review addresses the importance of marine-derived compounds, stressing new chemical entities with cosmeceutical potential from the marine natural resources and their mechanisms of action by which these compounds exert on the body functions as well as their related health benefits. Marine environments are the most important reservoir of biodiversity that provide biologically active substances whose potential is still to be discovered for application as pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Marine organisms are not only an important renewable source of valuable bulk compounds used in cosmetic industry such as agar and carrageenan, which are used as gelling and thickening agents to increase the viscosity of cosmetic formulations, but also of small molecules such as ectoine (to promote skin hydration), trichodin A (to prevent product alteration caused by microbial contamination), and mytiloxanthin (as a coloring agent). Marine-derived molecules can also function as active ingredients, being the main compounds that determine the function of cosmeceuticals such as anti-tyrosinase (kojic acid), antiacne (sargafuran), whitening (chrysophanol), UV protection (scytonemin, mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs)), antioxidants, and anti-wrinkle (astaxanthin and PUFAs). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Compounds from Marine Sources as Hits and Leads for Pharmaceutical, Cosmeceutical and Industrial Applications)
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