Natural Polyether Ionophores and Their Pharmacological Profile

Abstract

This review is devoted to the study of the biological activity of polyether ionophores produced by bacteria, unicellular marine algae, red seaweeds, marine sponges, and coelenterates. Biological activities have been studied experimentally in various laboratories, as well as data obtained using QSAR (Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationships) algorithms. According to the data obtained, it was shown that polyether toxins exhibit strong antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antitumor, and other activities. Along with this, it was found that natural polyether ionophores exhibit such properties as antiparasitic, antiprotozoal, cytostatic, anti-mycoplasmal, and antieczema activities. In addition, polyethers have been found to be potential regulators of lipid metabolism or inhibitors of DNA synthesis. Further study of the mechanisms of action and the search for new polyether ionophores and their derivatives may provide more effective therapeutic natural polyether ionophores for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. For some polyether ionophores, 3D graphs are presented, which demonstrate the predicted and calculated activities. The data presented in this review will be of interest to pharmacologists, chemists, practical medicine, and the pharmaceutical industry.

Replenishment of mitochondrial Na+ and H+ by ionophores potentiates cutaneous wound healing in diabetes

“…Notably, the well-known Na + ionophores, such as monensin A, lasalocid, and salinomycin, have been extensively utilized in veterinary practice for controlling coccidiosis. Their effectiveness in this application is closely tied to their capacity to bind and transport Na + across cell membranes [ 45 ]. Monensin A, a representative polyether ionophore, is an intermediate biosynthetic metabolite produced by Streptomyces cinnamonensis bacteria.…”

Natural products as anthelmintics: safeguarding animal health

“…Polyether antibiotics are a class of ionophoric polyketides with a variety of biological properties including antibacterial 240 and cytotoxic, 240,241 as well as antiparasitic activity that has seen them used in veterinary medicine as ruminant non-hormonal growth promoters, and as coccidiostatic agents in livestock and poultry breeding. 242 In a recent 2022 account, nigericin ( 4.114 ) was reported as the anthelmintic principle of Streptomyces sp.…”

Microbiological Aspects of Unique, Rare, and Unusual Fatty Acids Derived from Natural Amides and Their Pharmacological Profile

“…Several comparative studies have shown that PASS is more predictive than some other recently developed methods for assessing biological activity profiles [197,198], although this program is not sufficiently effective for complex molecules or optical isomers. To calculate the pharmacological potential profile of natural substances, we have successfully used PASS for the past fifteen years [200][201][202][203][204][205].…”