PHL sponges and snails may yield new medicines —UP MSI

By Barbara Marchadesch

Published March 22, 2012 8:13pm

Researchers from the University of the Philippines’ Marine Science Institute (MSI)are studying sponges and snails. Marine microorganisms in the sponges may lead to the discovery of new drugs for tuberculosis, pneumonia and other infectious diseases; and snails could become a source for anti-pain agents.

Led by UP’s Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gisela P. Concepcion, the scientists isolated microorganisms associated with sponges and are currently confirming their anti-infective properties, or ability to combat infections. This is part of the Pharmaseas Marine Drug Development funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture Aquatic Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).

Another aspect of the Pharmaseas program is the discovery of anti-pain drugs from the venom of turrid snails. Anti-pain drugs are important in the management of cancer and other illnesses.

Sponges, the oldest multi cellular animals, are regarded as the most successful of organisms, having survived for millions of years despite being physically defenseless, soft-bodied and sedentary. Their survival rests on their ability to produce different kinds of bioactive compounds to protect themselves. Scientists recently have discovered that microorganisms in the tissues of sponges produce some of these compounds.

These compounds could be used to produce new drugs to combine with existing antibiotics to combat drug-resistant pathogens.

There are three other support projects under the Pharmaseas program.

MMO’s and Turrids: Collection, Ecology, Biology, and Bioinformatics – an online database that can now be accessed through the UP local network;
Culture optimization studies for the culture of bioactive compounds – optimization is a process which will let the researchers culture the microorganisms in the laboratory so that they do not have to keep collecting the sponges; and
Marine Microorganisms and Turrids: Genetics, Molecular Phylogeny and Gene Expression – a classification of the organisms and the snails used in the research according to their genetic markers, or specific genes that produce a recognizable trait and can be used in family or population studies. The group is leading the classification of turrids, which have at least 12,000 species worldwide (5,000 of which can be found in the Philippines).

The Pharmaseas program has so far achieved its objectives, but Dr. Gisela admits that the rollout of drugs based on their research will come later, as the average time for research and development for new drugs is around 15 years. “It is unrealistic to say that we can roll it out in five years. But if nobody is going to start now with the biodiversity that is right beside us, who is going to provide this 15 years from now?” — TJD, GMA News

Tags: marinebiology, biology, ocean, sea, sponges