Marine Natural Products: Bioactive Compounds from the Ocean

The chapter delves into Marine Natural Products (MNPs) as a unique and underexplored source of bioactive compounds, distinguishing marine compounds from terrestrial ones. It covers sources of MNPs such as bacteria, fungi, algae, sponges, tunicates, and mollusks, and their diverse bioactive compounds such as peptides, terpenes, alkaloids, polyphenols, and sterols produced under ecological pressure. The bioactivities of these compounds include anti-cancer, anti-infective, and anti-inflammatory activities. The specific examples of approved drugs include Cytarabine, Bromophenols, Trabectedin, Eribulin, Brentuximab vedotin, and Ziconotide, demonstrating therapeutic applications. Moreover, challenges in marine drug development, such as supply limitations, complex structures, regulatory hurdles, and sustainability, are also discussed.  Applications of technological innovations, such as multi-omics, computational approaches, AI, and synthetic biology, promise to accelerate marine drug development. Moreover, interdisciplinary approaches and sustainable practices for future marine drug research and development underscore the contribution of MNPs to modern medicine.