ABSTRACT
The ocean, which hosts the richest diversity of living organisms, is a relatively unexplored source of compounds that can nd uses as new pharmaceuticals and as tools in molecular and pharmacological studies. Marine pharmacology deals with the search for models of marine bioactive compounds, which, in combination with chemical synthesis and analysis of structure-activity relationships, generate new drugs against human ailments. Pharmacology of marine compounds had its beginning in 1969; since then it has increasingly looked toward the ocean for new medical advances and treatments. The science of marine pharmacognosy encompasses a broad range of aspects concerning bioactive compounds biosynthesized in organisms found in the sea. The initial work in the eld done before three decades has been elegantly summarized by Baslow.1 During the past four decades, over 10,000 compounds have been isolated from marine organisms, many from sponges and other invertebrates found on coral reefs. The increasing interest in the eld is shown by the fact that between 1969 and 1999, 200 patents were issued worldwide for marine-derived biochemicals with potential therapeutic activities, whereas between 1996 and 1999, about 100 new compounds were patented.2 The interest and research progresses in marine natural products as pharmaceutical compounds are also indicated by several recent reviews on the topic.3-16 This chapter discusses various compounds present in marine organisms that have potential to function as promising drugs for some human diseases.
