Although acetylenes are common as components of terrestrial plants, it is only within the last 30 years that biologically active polyacetylenes having unusual structural features have been reported from aquatic organisms: cyanobacteria, algae,...

Although acetylenes are common as components of terrestrial plants, it is only within the last 30 years that biologically active polyacetylenes having unusual structural features have been reported from aquatic organisms: cyanobacteria, algae, fungi, invertebrates, and other sources. Naturally occurring aquatic acetylenes are of particular interest since many of them display important biological activities and possess antitumor, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifouling, antifungal, pesticidal, phototoxic, HIV inhibitory, and immuno-suppressive properties. There is no doubt that they are of great interest, especially for the medicinal and/or pharmaceutical industries. This review presents structures and describes cytotoxic and anticancer activities of more than 230 acetylenic metabolites isolated from aquatic organisms. With the computer program PASS some additional biological activities are also predicted, which point toward possible new applications of these compounds. This review emphasizes the role of aquatic acetylenic compounds as an important source of leads for drug discovery.
Natural Product Communications, 2006, 1 (89), 773-812.

Present review describes research on novel natural anticancer agents isolated from terrestrial and marine sources. More than 120 cytotoxic anticancer compounds have shown confirmed activity in tumor cell lines bioassay and are of current interest...

Present review describes research on novel natural anticancer agents isolated from terrestrial and marine sources. More than 120 cytotoxic anticancer compounds have shown confirmed activity in tumor cell lines bioassay and are of current interest to National Cancer Institute for further in vivo evaluation. Intensive searchers for new classes of pharmacologically potent agents produced by terrestrial and marine organisms have resulted in the discovery of dozens of compounds posessing high cytotoxic activities. However, only a limited number of them have been tested in pre-clinical and clinical trials. One of the reasons is a limited supply of the active ingedients from the natural sources. However, the pre-clinical and clinical development of many terrestrial and/or marine derived natural products into pharmaceuticals is often hampered by a limited supply from the natural source. Total synthesis is of vital importnace in these situations, allowing for the production of useful quantities of the target compound for further biological evaluation. With computer program PASS some additional biological activities are also predicted, which point toward new possible applications of these compounds. This review emphasizes the role of terrestrial and marine peroxides as an important soure of leads for drug discovery.
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry, 2008, 7, 571-589.

Major glyco- and phospholipids as well as betaine lipid 1,2-diacylglycero-O-4'-(N,N,N-tri-methyl)-homoserine (DGTS) were isolated from five species of marine macrophytes harvested in the Sea of Japan in summer and winter at seawater temperatures...

Major glyco- and phospholipids as well as betaine lipid 1,2-diacylglycero-O-4'-(N,N,N-tri-methyl)-homoserine (DGTS) were isolated from five species of marine macrophytes harvested in the Sea of Japan in summer and winter at seawater temperatures of 20-23 and 3 degrees C, respectively. GC and DSC analysis of lipids revealed a common increase of ratio between n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of polar lipids from summer to winter despite their chemotaxonomically different fatty acid (FA) composition. Especially, high level of different n-3 PUFAs was observed in galactolipids in winter. However, the rise in FA unsaturation did not result in the lowering of peak maximum temperature of phase transition of photosynthetic lipids (glycolipids and phosphatidylglycerol (PG)) in contrast to non-photosynthetic ones [phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)]. Different thermotropic behavior of these lipid groups was accompanied by higher content of n-6 PUFAs from the sum of n-6 and n-3 PUFAs in PC and PE compared with glycolipids and PG in both seasons. Seasonal changes of DSC transitions and FA composition of DGTS studied for the first time were similar to PC and PE. Thermograms of all polar lipids were characterized by complex profiles and located in a wide temperature range between -130 and 80 degrees C, while the most evident phase separation occurred in PGs in both seasons. Polarizing microscopy combined with DSC has shown that the liquid crystal - isotropic melt transitions of polar lipids from marine macrophytes began from 10 to 30 degrees C mostly, which can cause the thermal sensitivity of plants to superoptimal temperatures in their environment.
69(7):1517-27