Biologically Active Substances from Marine Hydrobionts of the Pacific Ocean as the Basis for Developing New Medicines

Abstract

Introduction: Since 1970s, a school of thought on management of innate and acquired immunity systems using biologically active substances of the Far East marine origin has been developed by the Immunology Laboratory of Somov Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor). Biopolymers, which constitute the structural basis of live marine organisms and sustain numerous vital processes, draw special attention as potential candidates for pharmaceutical forms. The objective of our study was to summarize the results of long-term research on biologically active substances (BAS) from marine aquatic organisms (hydrobionts) of the Pacific Ocean as the basis for developing medicinal preparations for infectious disease prevention and treatment and dietary supplements for food and functional food products. Methods: We have selected and analyzed 46 principal published works of the researchers of the Institute found in electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, and eLibrary) using appropriate keywords. Results: We established that over 500 substances from various hydrobionts of the Pacific Ocean including invertebrates, fish, algae, marine bacteria (polycationic and polyanionic polysaccharides of brown and red algae), pectins (colloidal carbohydrates of high molecular weight and complex structure), lipopolysaccharides and polysaccharides from marine proteobacteria, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, glycolipids, low-molecular compounds of marine origin (sulfated polyoxysteroids, peptides, beta-glucans, nucleic acids, amino acid complexes, naphthoquinones and spinochromes of sea urchins) had been studied for their biological properties over the past almost half a century. The studies produced abundant new data on immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, anti-adhesive, anti-endotoxic, pro-apoptotic, hepatoprotective, and hypolipidemic properties of biologically active substances, substantiated feasibility of designing innovative BAS-based medicines, and developed environmentally safe functional food products and dietary supplements. Conclusions: Biologically active substances from marine hydrobionts are a promising source for the development of novel domestic pharmaceuticals.