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Marine Drugs, Volume 23, Issue 2

2025 February - 40 articles

Cover Story: Bioprospection explores natural bioresources for therapeutic compounds, with the marine environment emerging as a promising reservoir. In this study, Halobatrachus didactylus (Lusitanian Toadfish) was investigated for its abundant mucus, which exhibited antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antihypertensive properties. Within the peptide mucus fraction, five peptides with potential bioactivity were identified via in silico analysis. The work integrated experimental and computational approaches to screen and validate these peptides while addressing challenges such as aggregation and stability, thereby underscoring a promising strategy for novel molecule discovery. View this paper
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Articles (40)

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,538 Views
15 Pages

19 February 2025

Carrageenan oligosaccharides (COSs) possess versatile activities and have drawn increasing attention in recent years. Due to their unique structures, COSs have been considered to be potential antibacterial agents and immune stimulators. Herein, we ai...

  • Review
  • Open Access
2,393 Views
15 Pages

Living Coral Displays, Research Laboratories, and Biobanks as Important Reservoirs of Chemodiversity with Potential for Biodiscovery

  • Ricardo Calado,
  • Miguel C. Leal,
  • Ruben X. G. Silva,
  • Mara Borba,
  • António Ferro,
  • Mariana Almeida,
  • Diana Madeira and
  • Helena Vieira

19 February 2025

Over the last decades, bioprospecting of tropical corals has revealed numerous bioactive compounds with potential for biotechnological applications. However, this search involves sampling in natural reefs, and this is currently hampered by multiple e...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
1,399 Views
17 Pages

Discovery of MK8383s with Antifungal Activity from Mangrove Endophytic Fungi Medicopsis sp. SCSIO 40440 Against Fusarium Wilt of Banana

  • Tianyu Zhou,
  • Yulei Qiao,
  • Lu Wang,
  • Zifeng Li,
  • Haibo Zhang,
  • Liping Zhang,
  • Shengrong Liao,
  • Minhui Li,
  • Changsheng Zhang and
  • Wenjun Zhang

18 February 2025

Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB), caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) tropical race 4 (TR4), poses a severe threat to the global banana industry. The screening of endophytic fungi from the mangrove plant led to the identification of M...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,257 Views
11 Pages

Statins Diversity Revealed by the Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Penicillium viridicatum

  • Meng Zhang,
  • Rong Chao,
  • Jia-Jian Wang,
  • Zi-Han Xu,
  • Ji-Hong Zhang,
  • Da-Li Meng,
  • Tai-Zong Wu and
  • Xian-Wen Yang

17 February 2025

Seven new (17) and six known (813) statin derivatives were obtained from the deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium viridicatum MCCC 3A00265. The structures assigned to the new compounds were based on a comprehensive analysis of the spectr...

  • Review
  • Open Access
1 Citations
2,294 Views
23 Pages

Marine Phytoplankton Bioactive Lipids and Their Perspectives in Clinical Inflammation

  • Edoardo Andrea Cutolo,
  • Rosanna Campitiello,
  • Valeria Di Dato,
  • Ida Orefice,
  • Max Angstenberger and
  • Maurizio Cutolo

17 February 2025

Marine phytoplankton is an emerging source of immunomodulatory bioactive lipids (BLs). Under physiological growth conditions and upon stress challenges, several eukaryotic microalgal species accumulate lipid metabolites that resemble the precursors o...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,988 Views
21 Pages

16 February 2025

Sea anemone peptides represent a valuable class of biomolecules in the marine toxin library due to their various structures and functions. Among these, ShK domain peptides are particularly notable for their selective inhibition of the Kv1.3 channel,...

  • Review
  • Open Access
8 Citations
11,609 Views
41 Pages

Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder Symptoms: A Narrative Review of the Current Clinical Evidence

  • Evmorfia Psara,
  • Sousana K. Papadopoulou,
  • Maria Mentzelou,
  • Gavriela Voulgaridou,
  • Theophanis Vorvolakos,
  • Thomas Apostolou and
  • Constantinos Giaginis

15 February 2025

Background: Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental disease that is characterized by depressive and manic episodes. Antipsychotics and mood stabilizers are known therapies that work, but their restrictions and disadvantages resulted in the need for comp...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
2,014 Views
25 Pages

Antiaging Potential of Lipophilic Extracts of Caulerpa prolifera

  • Gonçalo P. Rosa,
  • Maria Carmo Barreto,
  • Ana M. L. Seca and
  • Diana C. G. A. Pinto

14 February 2025

The cosmeceutical industry has increasingly turned its attention to marine macroalgae, recognizing their significant bioactive potential as sources of natural compounds for skincare applications. A growing number of products now incorporate extracts...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
1,598 Views
25 Pages

Bioprospecting Bioactive Peptides in Halobatrachus didactylus Body Mucus: From In Silico Insights to Essential In Vitro Validation

  • Marta Fernandez Cunha,
  • Ezequiel R. Coscueta,
  • María Emilia Brassesco,
  • Frederico Almada,
  • David Gonçalves and
  • Maria Manuela Pintado

13 February 2025

Fish body mucus plays a protective role, especially in Halobatrachus didactylus, which inhabits intertidal zones vulnerable to anthropogenic contaminants. In silico predicted bioactive peptides were identified in its body mucus, namely, EDNSELGQETPTL...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
2,228 Views
15 Pages

13 February 2025

Background: Hypertension has been identified as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Given the prevalence of the adverse effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory (ACEI) drugs, natural and effective alternatives to these me...

  • Article
  • Open Access
5 Citations
2,037 Views
13 Pages

Marmaricines A-C: Antimicrobial Brominated Pyrrole Alkaloids from the Red Sea Marine Sponge Agelas sp. aff. marmarica

  • Diaa T. A. Youssef,
  • Areej S. Alqarni,
  • Ameen M. Almohammadi,
  • Turki Abujamel and
  • Lamiaa A. Shaala

12 February 2025

The Red Sea is the home of a rich diversity of sponge species with unique ecological adaptations that thrive in its saline, warm, and nutrient-poor waters. Red Sea sponges offer potential as sources of bioactive compounds and novel drugs. The organic...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
2,869 Views
24 Pages

Proteomic Diversity of the Sea Anemone Actinia fragacea: Comparative Analysis of Nematocyst Venom, Mucus, and Tissue-Specific Profiles

  • Ricardo Alexandre Barroso,
  • Tomás Rodrigues,
  • Alexandre Campos,
  • Daniela Almeida,
  • Francisco A. Guardiola,
  • Maria V. Turkina and
  • Agostinho Antunes

11 February 2025

Sea anemones (Actiniaria, Cnidaria) are promising targets for biomedical research, as they produce unique bioactive compounds, including toxins and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). However, the diversity and mechanisms underlying their chemical defense...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2,217 Views
11 Pages

Geliboluols A–D: Kaurane-Type Diterpenoids from the Marine-Derived Rare Actinomycete Actinomadura geliboluensis

  • Chang-Su Heo,
  • Jong Soon Kang,
  • Jeong-Wook Yang,
  • Min Ah Lee,
  • Hwa-Sun Lee,
  • Chang Hwan Kim and
  • Hee Jae Shin

10 February 2025

Four new kaurane-type diterpenoids, geliboluols A–D (14), along with one known analog (5), were isolated from the culture broth of the marine-derived rare actinomycete Actinomadura geliboluensis. The structures of compounds 14 wer...

  • Article
  • Open Access
13 Citations
3,659 Views
23 Pages

Wound Healing, Antioxidant, and Antiviral Properties of Bioactive Polysaccharides of Microalgae Strains Isolated from Greek Coastal Lagoons

  • Gabriel Vasilakis,
  • Sofia Marka,
  • Alexandros Ntzouvaras,
  • Maria-Eleftheria Zografaki,
  • Eirini Kyriakopoulou,
  • Katerina I. Kalliampakou,
  • Georgios Bekiaris,
  • Evangelos Korakidis,
  • Niki Papageorgiou and
  • Emmanouil Flemetakis
  • + 6 authors

10 February 2025

Microalgae have gained significant attention as sustainable sources of high value compounds, such as bioactive polysaccharides that are usually rich in sulfated groups and exhibit antioxidant properties. Here, 14 new microalgae strains of the genera...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
1,947 Views
17 Pages

10 February 2025

Talaromyces marneffei (TM) is an opportunistic pathogenic fungus that mainly infects immunocompromised patients. Currently, the global prevalence of talaromycosis caused by TM is increasing, leading to an increased demand for anti-TM drugs. In our pr...

  • Article
  • Open Access
9 Citations
2,683 Views
23 Pages

9 February 2025

Bioactive peptides represent a promising therapeutic approach for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) by maintaining cholinergic system homeostasis through the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. This study focused on extracting AChE inhib...

  • Article
  • Open Access
6 Citations
2,567 Views
18 Pages

7 February 2025

The rising prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic agents derived from natural sources. Among flavonoids, 3′,4′,5,7-tetramethoxyflavone (TMF), a structural analog of luteolin, has gai...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
1,743 Views
20 Pages

Integrated Macrogenomics and Metabolomics Analysis of the Effect of Sea Cucumber Ovum Hydrolysates on Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis

  • Shunmin Gong,
  • Liqin Sun,
  • Yongjun Sun,
  • Wenming Ju,
  • Gongming Wang,
  • Jian Zhang,
  • Xuejun Fu,
  • Chang Lu,
  • Yu Zhang and
  • Leilei Sun
  • + 2 authors

7 February 2025

Inflammatory bowel disease remains a significant challenge in clinical settings. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of sea cucumber ovum hydrolysates (SCH) in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. SCH, defined by...

  • Review
  • Open Access
6 Citations
3,731 Views
52 Pages

7 February 2025

Marine diterpenes are an important category of secondary metabolites derived from marine sources, found in a variety of marine animals, plants, and fungi. The increasing diversity of diterpene compounds, along with their unique chemical structures an...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
2,572 Views
22 Pages

The Role of Brown Algae as a Capping Agent in the Synthesis of ZnO Nanoparticles to Enhance the Antibacterial Activities of Cotton Fabrics

  • Eli Rohaeti,
  • Helmiyati,
  • Rasamimanana Joronavalona,
  • Paulina Taba,
  • Dewi Sondari and
  • Azlan Kamari

7 February 2025

Research was conducted on the role of brown algae as a capping agent in the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles, the characteristics of ZnO nanoparticles, and the effect of the addition of ZnO nanoparticles and/or silane compounds on antibacterial and ant...

  • Review
  • Open Access
16 Citations
6,237 Views
24 Pages

7 February 2025

In recent years, the exploration of bioactive molecules derived from natural sources has gained interest in several application fields. Among these, macroalgae have garnered significant attention due to their functional properties, which make them in...

  • Review
  • Open Access
13 Citations
6,656 Views
65 Pages

Advanced Technologies for Large Scale Supply of Marine Drugs

  • Henar Martínez,
  • Mercedes Santos,
  • Lucía Pedraza and
  • Ana M. Testera

7 February 2025

Marine organisms represent a source of unique chemical entities with valuable biomedical potentialities, broad diversity, and complexity. It is essential to ensure a reliable and sustainable supply of marine natural products (MNPs) for their translat...

  • Article
  • Open Access
4 Citations
1,914 Views
21 Pages

Comparative Evaluation of the Antibacterial and Antitumor Activities of Marine Alkaloid 3,10-Dibromofascaplysin

  • Maxim E. Zhidkov,
  • Polina A. Smirnova,
  • Natalia E. Grammatikova,
  • Elena B. Isakova,
  • Andrey E. Shchekotikhin,
  • Olga N. Styshova,
  • Anna A. Klimovich and
  • Aleksandr M. Popov

6 February 2025

Fascaplysins form a group of marine natural products with unique cationic five-ring coplanar backbone. Native fascaplysin exhibits a broad spectrum of bioactivities, among which the cytotoxic activity has been the most investigated. Several fascaplys...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
3,120 Views
23 Pages

First Confirmed Occurrence of Ciguatera Poisoning in the UK from Imported Pinjalo Snapper (Pinjalo pinjalo)

  • Andrew D. Turner,
  • Benjamin H. Maskrey,
  • David Stone,
  • Elizabeth M. Mudge and
  • Alison Robertson

6 February 2025

Three people in England consumed fish steaks labeled as Red Snapper (Lutjanus bohar) originating from the Indian Ocean. Within 12 h, all three experienced sickness including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, as well as myalgia and paresthesia. Three steaks...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
1,850 Views
17 Pages

RNA Editing Analysis Reveals Methyl Jasmonic Acid Regulation of Fucoxanthin and Fatty Acid Metabolism in Phaeodactylum tricornutum

  • Sihui Huang,
  • Hao Liu,
  • Ruihao Xu,
  • Wangchang Li,
  • Han Yang,
  • Xinlei Bao,
  • Yuqing Hang,
  • Yifu Gong and
  • Yuxiang Zhao

6 February 2025

Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a marine diatom with significant biotechnological potential, particularly in producing high-value bioactive compounds such as fucoxanthin and unsaturated fatty acids, which possess significant pharmaceutical and nutraceut...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
2,177 Views
15 Pages

Isolation, Structure Elucidation and Biological Evaluation of Lomaiviticins F–H, Dimeric Benzofluorene Glycosides from Marine-Derived Micromonospora sp. Bacterium

  • Fan Zhang,
  • Wenhui Wang,
  • Doug R. Braun,
  • Gene E. Ananiev,
  • Weiting Liao,
  • Mary Kay Harper,
  • Scott R. Rajski and
  • Tim S. Bugni

3 February 2025

The discovery of new natural products remains a cornerstone of therapeutic innovation, and effective analytical tools for rapid dereplication can significantly accelerate this process. Using Isotopic Fine Structure (IFS) mass spectrometry, we rapidly...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1 Citations
1,597 Views
15 Pages

Structural Characterization and Anticoagulant Potential of Colochirus quadrangularis Fucosylated Glycosaminoglycan 5−12 Oligomers with Unusual Branches

  • Xuedong Zhang,
  • Guangwei Yan,
  • Xinming Liu,
  • Jiewen Fu,
  • Xiang Shi,
  • Pei Cao,
  • Yuqian Sun,
  • Shengping Zhong,
  • Jiale Nong and
  • Longyan Zhao
  • + 4 authors

1 February 2025

The depolymerized products and oligosaccharide fractions from sea cucumber fucosylated glycosaminoglycans (FGs) are promising anticoagulant candidates, and more novel FG-derived oligosaccharides from low-priced sea cucumbers are expected to be obtain...

  • Article
  • Open Access
26 Citations
2,590 Views
22 Pages

1 February 2025

In this work, the hypolipidemic and antioxidative capacity of FSGLR (S7) and GIEWA (S10) from miiuy croaker swim bladders was explored systematically in an oleic acid (OA)-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) model of HepG2 cells. Moreove...

  • Review
  • Open Access
6 Citations
3,580 Views
23 Pages

31 January 2025

For photosynthesis, oxygenic phototrophic organisms necessarily contain not only chlorophylls but also carotenoids. Various carotenoids have been identified in algae and taxonomic studies of algae have been conducted. In this review, the relationship...

  • Review
  • Open Access
8 Citations
5,430 Views
38 Pages

The Toxic Effects of Environmental Domoic Acid Exposure on Humans and Marine Wildlife

  • Ami E. Krasner,
  • Margaret E. Martinez,
  • Cara L. Field and
  • Spencer E. Fire

29 January 2025

Biotoxins produced by harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a substantial global threat to ocean and human health. Domoic acid (DA) is one such biotoxin whose negative impacts are forecasted to increase with climate change and coastal development. This man...

  • Review
  • Open Access
27 Citations
6,295 Views
35 Pages

Marine-Derived Polysaccharides and Their Potential Health Benefits in Nutraceutical Applications

  • Joana Carrasqueira,
  • Susana Bernardino,
  • Raul Bernardino and
  • Clélia Afonso

28 January 2025

Marine-derived polysaccharides have sparked immense interest in the nutraceutical industry as they possess a wide range of bioactivities which are highlighted in this review. These include antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, gut microbiota...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2,126 Views
17 Pages

Chemical Characterization of Bioactive Compounds in Extracts and Fractions from Litopenaeus vannamei Muscle

  • Sandra Carolina De La Reé-Rodríguez,
  • María Jesús González,
  • Ingrid Fernández,
  • José Luis Garrido,
  • Erika Silva-Campa,
  • Norma Violeta Parra-Vergara,
  • Carmen María López-Saiz and
  • Isabel Medina

27 January 2025

Marine organisms are a vital source of biologically active compounds. Organic extracts from the muscle of the Pacific white shrimp (L. vannamei) have shown antiproliferative effects on tumor cells, including breast adenocarcinoma. This study aimed to...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
3,886 Views
18 Pages

Exploring Phaeodactylum tricornutum for Nutraceuticals: Cultivation Techniques and Neurotoxin Risk Assessment

  • Tobias Ebbing,
  • Lena Kopp,
  • Konstantin Frick,
  • Tabea Simon,
  • Berit Würtz,
  • Jens Pfannstiel,
  • Ulrike Schmid-Staiger,
  • Stephan C. Bischoff and
  • Günter E. M. Tovar

26 January 2025

This study investigates the potential of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (PT) as a sustainable and nutritionally valuable food source, focusing on its ability to produce bioactive compounds such as eicosapentaenoic acid, fucoxanthin, chrysolamin...

  • Review
  • Open Access
37 Citations
11,506 Views
28 Pages

Ulva Seaweed-Derived Ulvan: A Promising Marine Polysaccharide as a Sustainable Resource for Biomaterial Design

  • Rizfi Fariz Pari,
  • Uju Uju,
  • Safrina Dyah Hardiningtyas,
  • Wahyu Ramadhan,
  • Rie Wakabayashi,
  • Masahiro Goto and
  • Noriho Kamiya

24 January 2025

Green seaweed is currently underused compared with other major seaweed types. Many scientists have reported applications of the green seaweed Ulva in various fields in recent years, which makes it a candidate for biomass production in industrial bior...

  • Article
  • Open Access
2 Citations
1,940 Views
15 Pages

Characterizing the Ultraviolet (UV) Screening Ability of L-5-Sulfanylhistidine Derivatives on Human Dermal Fibroblasts

  • Alessia Luccarini,
  • Fabio Marcheggiani,
  • Roberta Galeazzi,
  • Annalisa Zuccarotto,
  • Immacolata Castellano and
  • Elisabetta Damiani

24 January 2025

Using sunscreens is one of the most widespread measures to protect human skin from sun ultraviolet radiation (UVR) damage. However, several studies have highlighted the toxicity of certain inorganic and organic UV filters used in sunscreens for the m...

  • Review
  • Open Access
1 Citations
4,799 Views
15 Pages

Components and Biological Activities of Venom from Lionfishes (Scorpaenidae: Pterois)

  • Candelario Rodriguez,
  • Jafeth Carrasco,
  • Gaspar Bruner-Montero,
  • Osmindo Rodrigues Pires Júnior,
  • Marcelino Gutiérrez and
  • Edgardo Díaz-Ferguson

23 January 2025

Fishes of the genus Pterois possess spines that provoke intense pain, which can last for weeks. Since the first toxicological description of their spine venom, a significant amount of research has been published regarding their biochemical characteri...

  • Article
  • Open Access
3 Citations
2,413 Views
17 Pages

22 January 2025

Bladder cancer is a globally prevalent urological malignancy, with transitional carcinoma (TCC) representing the majority of cases. Cisplatin is the primary drug for metastatic bladder cancer chemotherapy; however, its application is limited by nephr...

  • Article
  • Open Access
9 Citations
3,192 Views
21 Pages

Functional and Bioactive Benefits of Selected Microalgal Hydrolysates Assessed In Silico and In Vitro

  • Elena Aurino,
  • Leticia Mora,
  • Antonio Marzocchella,
  • Christina M. Kuchendorf,
  • Bärbel Ackermann and
  • Maria Hayes

22 January 2025

BIOPEP-UWM, a peptide database, contains 5128 peptides from a myriad of resources. Five listed peptides are Angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE-1; EC3.4.15.1) inhibitory peptides derived from a red alga, while two from Chlorella vulgaris have anti-c...

  • Review
  • Open Access
5 Citations
4,422 Views
21 Pages

21 January 2025

Lipids form energy storage depots, cellular barriers and signaling molecules. They are generated and metabolized by enzymes under the influence of biotic and abiotic factors, and some—the long-chain polyunsaturated ω3 and ω6 fatty a...

  • Article
  • Open Access
1,852 Views
21 Pages

Efficient Synthesis of Fused Polycyclic Ether Systems via Sulfonium Ylides: A Synthetic Approach to Yessotoxin and Adriatoxin

  • Federico Moya-Utrera,
  • Iván Cheng-Sánchez,
  • Irama Fuentes-Pino,
  • Antonio Sánchez-Ruiz and
  • Francisco Sarabia

21 January 2025

A novel class of chiral sulfonium salts, derived from L- and D-methionine, was designed and successfully employed for the diastereoselective synthesis of epoxy amides. This new methodology of asymmetric epoxidation was exploited for the stereoselecti...

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Mar. Drugs - ISSN 1660-3397