Marine sources of drugs
Start with the big picture
The lesson surveys marine-source diversity and landmark examples of drug discovery. Sponge-derived nucleoside analogs cytarabine and vidarabine helped establish marine natural products in antileukemic and antiviral therapy. Other examples include the tunicate-derived anticancer agent trabectedin, the synthetic halichondrin B analog eribulin, and cone-snail-derived ziconotide for refractory pain. It also introduces marine-inspired antibody–drug conjugate payloads, a tunicate compound that inhibits eEF1A2, and a bacterial–sponge symbiont product that inhibits HDACs. Beyond oncology and pain, the source material covers omega-3 ethyl esters, coral-derived anti-inflammatory compounds, and marine metabolites under investigation. Together, these examples show how organismal origin, compound identity, and therapeutic application frame the study of marine drugs.
What you'll learn
- Identify major groups of marine organisms screened for pharmacologically active natural products.
- Relate selected marine-derived compounds to their source organisms and therapeutic applications.
- Recognize examples of marine compounds acting on DNA synthesis, microtubules, calcium channels, and HDACs.
- Distinguish approved or used therapies from compounds described as being in trials or under exploration.
Continue your study
Work through the complete notes and reinforce the topic with the study tools available in the full lesson.
