Bioactive Compounds Isolated from Neglected Predatory Marine Gastropods

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Pharmacology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Predatory marine gastropods are a rich source of diverse toxins.
• While *Conus* species toxins (conopeptides) are well-studied and in clinical trials, many other gastropod toxins remain uncharacterized.
• Neglected marine gastropod families, including Turridae, Terebridae, and Ranellidae, are known to harbor bioactive compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and summarize known bioactive compounds from understudied marine gastropod families.
• To highlight the potential of these compounds for pharmacological applications.
• To emphasize the need for further research on these neglected species.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of scientific publications on marine gastropod toxins.
• Focus on species from the families Turridae, Terebridae, Babyloniidae, Muricidae, Buccinidae, Colubrariidae, Nassariidae, Cassidae, and Ranellidae.
• Detailed discussion of echotoxins and porins from the Ranellidae family.

Main Results:

• Numerous marine gastropod species possess bioactive compounds with potential toxic activity.
• However, the majority of these compounds are not characterized or clearly identified.
• Echotoxins and related porins from Ranellidae show promising bioactive properties and potential applications.

Conclusions:

• Significant knowledge gaps exist regarding the toxins of many marine gastropod species.
• Understudied gastropods represent a largely untapped resource for novel bioactive compounds.
• Further research is crucial to characterize these compounds and explore their therapeutic potential.