Bioactives from marine resources as natural health products: A review

The oceans are a rich source of a myriad of structurally different and unique natural products that are mainly found in invertebrates with potential applications in different disciplines. Microbial infection and cancer are the leading causes of death worldwide. Discovery of new sources of therapy for microbial infections is an urgent requirement due to the emergence of pathogenic microorganisms that are resistant to existing therapies. Marine bioactives have demonstrated to be promising sources for the discovery and development of novel antimicrobial and anticancer compounds. Several marine compounds are confirmed to have antibacterial effects and most marine-based antifungal compounds are cytotoxic. Numerous antitumor marine natural products, derived mainly from sponges or molluscs, and also bryozoans and cyanobacteria, exhibit potent antimitotic activity. In addition, marine biodiversity offers some possible leads or new drugs to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A majority of marine derived drugs are currently in clinical trials or under preclinical evaluation. Furthermore, marine-based drugs, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are available in the market. This review summarizes the sources, mechanisms of action and potential utilization of marine natural products such as peptides, alkaloids, polyketides, polyphenols, terpenoids and sterols as antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and anticancer compounds. Significance Statement Utilization of marine bioactives as natural health products leads to crucial advancement in providing dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, functional foods and pharmaceuticals. Their myriad of application promotes health and plays a role in disease risk reduction. Therapeutic potential of potent compounds from marine organisms and use of their bioactives have promising medicinal value for preventing ailments and advancing pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries. Their utilization benefits human health globally and contributes to the conservation of marine ecosystem in a transformative / sustainable approach.