Abstract
Cancer is at present one of the utmost deadly diseases worldwide. Past efforts in cancer research have focused on natural medicinal products. Over the past decades, a great deal of initiatives was invested towards isolating and identifying new marine metabolites via pharmaceutical companies, and research institutions in general. Secondary marine metabolites are looked at as a favorable source of potentially new pharmaceutically active compounds, having a vast structural diversity and diverse biological activities; therefore, this is an astonishing source of potentially new anticancer therapy. This review contains an extensive critical discussion on the potential of marine microbial compounds and marine microalgae metabolites as anticancer drugs, highlighting their chemical structure and exploring the underlying mechanisms of action. Current limitation, challenges, and future research pathways were also presented.
Highlights
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, by 2030 there will be 21 million new cases of cancer and 13 million deaths due to this disease [1]
From 1981 to 2010, approximately 1355 drugs were approved for therapeutic application, and among these, 128 were anticancer drugs with approximately 35% of them from either natural products or compounds extracted from natural products [3]
Marine microalgae are eukaryotic plants that contribute to drug discovery by their metabolicplasticity, which can trigger the production of several compounds with possible applications in combating various diseases, such as cancer [21]
Summary
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report, by 2030 there will be 21 million new cases of cancer and 13 million deaths due to this disease [1]. Marine microalgae are eukaryotic plants that contribute to drug discovery by their metabolicplasticity, which can trigger the production of several compounds with possible applications in combating various diseases, such as cancer [21] These aquatic species have gained increasing acclaim for their bioactive metabolites, which provides an unparalleled potential for a range of pharmaceutical activity. Shift in abiotic factors of marine ecosystem, such as temperature, salinity, nutrients, oxygen, solar energy, water clarity, tides, waves, aerial exposure and current has immensely influenced the production and secretion of marine metabolites/ bioactive chemical compounds from these organisms To survive under these harsh abiotic factors, the marine microflora tends to form a symbiotic relationship with other marine microorganisms. This review evaluates the anticancer effects of numerous marine cyanobacterium and microalgae secondary metabolites, emphasizing on their chemical structures and highlighting the mechanisms of action that underlie their pharmacological activities
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