Fatty Acids in Marine Organisms: In the Pursuit of Bioactive Agents

• Tipo: Outra Publicação em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2011

Autores

David M Pereira (Autor) Outra; Juliana Vinholes (Autor) Outra; Georgina Correia da Silva (Autor) FFUP; Patricia Valentao (Autor) FFUP; Natercia Teixeira (Autor) FFUP; Paula B Andrade (Autor) FFUP

Revista

Título: Current Pharmaceutical Analysis

Vol. 7 Nº 2

Páginas: 108-119

ISSN: 1573-4129

Editora: Bentham Science

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 7 Citações

Scopus - 8 Citações

Classificação Científica

FOS: Ciências médicas e da saúde > Medicina básica

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-002-RSJ

Abstract (EN): Natural matrices comprise a continuous resource of immeasurable biological activities and chemical entities. The diversity of marine ecosystems has provided a unique source of chemical compounds with potential bioactivities that could lead to new drug candidates. In fact, as many marine-living organisms are soft bodied and/or sessile, over evolutionary time marine eukaryotes have developed an array of metabolites and strategies by which they protect themselves against external aggressions. Research involving marine natural products revealed a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antitumor and cytotoxic, and the capacity to affect the cardiovascular, immune and nervous system, among others. Fatty acids (FA) are metabolites universally present in all organisms, where they play a number of biological roles, such as building blocks in biological membranes and signalling molecules. In addition to the known set of FA, marine organisms usually display molecules with a very rich chemistry and have been the source of many novel structures that frequently display marked pharmacological properties. As pharmacological research with marine chemicals continues to be extremely active, this review will focus the biological role and potential applications of fatty acids from marine organisms, such as sponges, echinoderms and molluscs, with particular emphasis on their application in cancer, inflammation, tuberculosis and malaria.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 12