Antimalarial activity from three ascidians: an exploration of different marine invertebrate phyla

Abstract

Recent research suggests that marine organisms may produce compounds with activity against malaria parasites. Of a total of 27 aqueous extracts from different marine species, collected on the northwest Cuban coast, 20 were considered as showing no significant activity against Plasmodium falciparum F32, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) >500 microg/ml, while seven extracts (MIC < or =500 microg/ml) were selected for further investigation by determining their selectivity indices and in vivo antimalarial activity. Three species of tunicates were chosen, as more than 50% reduction of P. berghei parasitaemia was produced after administration of 250 or 500 mg/kg of their crude extracts into infected mice. The aqueous extracts of Microcosmus goanus, Ascidia sydneiensis and Phallusia nigra were partitioned between water and n-butanol; the organic phases inhibited P. falciparum growth by 50% at concentrations of 17.5 microg/ml, 20.9 microg/ml and 29.4 microg/ml respectively. In general, these results are similar to those of most ethnobotanical surveys. Further chemical studies are being undertaken in order to isolate new antimalarial compounds from these Caribbean tunicates.

Tunicates as a Biocontrol Tool for Larvicides Acute Toxicity of Zika Virus Vector <em>Aedes aegypti</em>

“…quinquefasciatus of LC 50 and LC 90 values of 2.2371; 6.7321 mg/ml (II nd instar); 2.9561; 8.0317 mg/ml (III rd instar) and 4.239007; 9.71364 mg/ml (IV th instar) respectively ( Table 3). The previous studies of Secondary metabolites from the water and butanol extracts of the ascidians Ascidia sydneinsis, Microcosmus goanus and Phallusia nigra of the Cuban coast have been reported with inhibition (50%) against the malarial protozoan P. falciparum at concentrations of 20.9, 17.5 and 29.4 µg/ml (Mendiola et al 2006;Palanisamy et al 2017) . Compound, Mollamide B was isolated from the ascidian D. molle showed promising Antiplasmodiadial activity against the protozoan larva of P. falciparum with IC 50 of 2.0 µg/ml (Donia et al 2008).…”

Antimalarial natural products of marine and freshwater origin

“…Several alkaloids were identified from marine sources in the last years. A survey of different invertebrates was conducted by Mendiola et al,25 in order to classify these sources for antiplasmodial activity. Seven extracts from different marine species, three species of Chordata, two species of Echinodermata, one species of Cnidaria, and one species of Porifera, collected on the northwest Cuban coast from Havana to Puerto Esperanza, were reported to display moderate antimalarial activity 25.…”

“…A survey of different invertebrates was conducted by Mendiola et al,25 in order to classify these sources for antiplasmodial activity. Seven extracts from different marine species, three species of Chordata, two species of Echinodermata, one species of Cnidaria, and one species of Porifera, collected on the northwest Cuban coast from Havana to Puerto Esperanza, were reported to display moderate antimalarial activity 25. Among them, three ascidians produced in vitro IC 50 values lower than 30 µg/ml, and in vivo, the crude extracts caused partial reduction of Plasmodium berghei parasitaemia in mice 25.…”

“…Seven extracts from different marine species, three species of Chordata, two species of Echinodermata, one species of Cnidaria, and one species of Porifera, collected on the northwest Cuban coast from Havana to Puerto Esperanza, were reported to display moderate antimalarial activity 25. Among them, three ascidians produced in vitro IC 50 values lower than 30 µg/ml, and in vivo, the crude extracts caused partial reduction of Plasmodium berghei parasitaemia in mice 25. Alkaloids and polyketides were found to be the major substances with antimalarial activity isolated from chordata, but the studied aqueous extracts of the three ascidians were a mixture of compounds.…”

Leishmanicidal activity of Echinaster (Othilia) echinophorus crude extract

“…Echinaster genus includes marine invertebrates that are usually associated with hard substrates; they generally live in shallow water, beneath coral rubble and rock and have been found clinging to mangrove roots 18 . In the literature, no pharmacological reports of antileishmanial activity for Echinaster species were found, although antimalarial activity has been described 25 . In this work, the in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activity of an alcoholic extract of Echinaster echinophorus against Leishmania amazonensis is evaluated.…”