Marine Organisms and Other Novel Natural Sources of New Cancer Drugs
Marine organisms and other novel natural sources of new cancer drugs
Gilberto Schwartsmann
South-American Office for Anticancer Drug Development (SOAD), Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CINCAN),
The Lutheran University (ULBRA) & Postgraduate Course in Medicine (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
Introduction
Man has always relied on nature for survival. Since ancient times, nature has been our main source of food, protection, clothing, transportation and remedies
[1,2]. This can be illustrated by the number of natural product derived agents currently in use in routine medical practice (Table 1) [3-5]. In addition to plant-derived compounds, microorganisms constitute a very important source of novel bioactive agents. They have contributed to the medical armamentarium with antibiotics such as penicillins, aminoglycosides and cephalosporins, which represent landmarks in the history of human therapeutics
[6,7]. Although marine compounds are yet underrepresented in routine clinical practice, it can be anticipated that aquatic environment may become a potentially valuable source of novel compounds, as the world 's oceans cover about 70% of the earth 's surface and all except 2 of the 28 major animal phyla are represented there [8-11].
Anti-cancer agents derived from natural sources
Several new anticancer agents that entered the market in the 1990s were obtained from natural sources
(Table 2) [12,13]. There is also a significant number of naturally derived new anticancer candidate compounds that are currently undergoing preclinical and early clinical development (Table 3) [3,14].
Plant-derived compounds, in particular, have .a special place in the anticancer therapy (Table 4)
[15,16]. The Vinca alkaloid vincristine (isolated from
Catharanthus roseus) is part of various curative regimens in patients with leukaemia and lymphoma
[17,18]. Similarly, the epipodophyllotoxin derivative, etoposide (extracted from the mandrake plant
Podophyllum peltatum
Gilberto Schwartsmann
South-American Office for Anticancer Drug Development (SOAD), Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CINCAN),
The Lutheran University (ULBRA) & Postgraduate Course in Medicine (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
Introduction
Man has always relied on nature for survival. Since ancient times, nature has been our main source of food, protection, clothing, transportation and remedies
[1,2]. This can be illustrated by the number of natural product derived agents currently in use in routine medical practice (Table 1) [3-5]. In addition to plant-derived compounds, microorganisms constitute a very important source of novel bioactive agents. They have contributed to the medical armamentarium with antibiotics such as penicillins, aminoglycosides and cephalosporins, which represent landmarks in the history of human therapeutics
[6,7]. Although marine compounds are yet underrepresented in routine clinical practice, it can be anticipated that aquatic environment may become a potentially valuable source of novel compounds, as the world 's oceans cover about 70% of the earth 's surface and all except 2 of the 28 major animal phyla are represented there [8-11].
Anti-cancer agents derived from natural sources
Several new anticancer agents that entered the market in the 1990s were obtained from natural sources
(Table 2) [12,13]. There is also a significant number of naturally derived new anticancer candidate compounds that are currently undergoing preclinical and early clinical development (Table 3) [3,14].
Plant-derived compounds, in particular, have .a special place in the anticancer therapy (Table 4)
[15,16]. The Vinca alkaloid vincristine (isolated from
Catharanthus roseus) is part of various curative regimens in patients with leukaemia and lymphoma
[17,18]. Similarly, the epipodophyllotoxin derivative, etoposide (extracted from the mandrake plant
Podophyllum peltatum
References: Series 534. Am Chem Soc Washington, DC, 1993, pp 2-12. 7 Samuelsson G. Drugs of Natural Origin. Swedish Pharmaceutical Press, Stockholm, 1992. The Cairns Conference, Australia, 25-28 March, 1996. OECD Publications, Paris, 1997, pp 253. (eds), Natural Products and Drug Development Balliere, Tindall, and Cox, London, 1984, pp 8-98. 14 Hartwell JL. Plants used against cancer. A survey. Quartennan Publications, Lawrence, 1982. Practice, 4th edn. Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1991, pp 325-417. 28 DiMarco A, Gaetani M, Scarpinato B. Adriamycin (NSC 123127) a new antibiotic with antitumor activity 31 Jessup JM, McGinnis LS, Winchester DP, et al. Clinical Downloaded from annonc.oxfordjournals.org by guest on December 7, 2010