Exploring Bioactive Properties of Marine Cyanobacteria Isolated from the Portuguese Coast: High Potential as a Source of Anticancer Compounds

Marine Drugs

Margarida Costa²  Mónica Garcia¹  João Costa-Rodrigues¹  Maria Sofia Costa²  Maria João Ribeiro²  Maria Helena Fernandes¹  Piedade Barros³  Aldo Barreiro²  Vitor Vasconcelos² 

[1] Laboratory for Bone Metabolism and Regeneration, Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Dr. Manuel Pereira da Silva, Porto 4200-393, Portugal; E-Mails:;Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR/CIMAR), University of Porto, Rua dos Bragas 289, Porto 4050-123, Portugal; E-Mails:;Health and Environmental Research Center (CISA), Superior School of Health Technology of Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Rua Valente Perfeito 322, Vila Nova de Gaia 4400-330, Portugal; E-Mail:

关键词: marine cyanobacteria;    natural products;    anticancer potential;   

DOI  :  10.3390/md12010098

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The oceans remain a major source of natural compounds with potential in pharmacology. In particular, during the last few decades, marine cyanobacteria have been in focus as producers of interesting bioactive compounds, especially for the treatment of cancer. In this study, the anticancer potential of extracts from twenty eight marine cyanobacteria strains, belonging to the underexplored picoplanktonic genera, Cyanobium, Synechocystis and Synechococcus, and the filamentous genera, Nodosilinea, Leptolyngbya, Pseudanabaena and Romeria, were assessed in eight human tumor cell lines. First, a crude extract was obtained by dichloromethane:methanol extraction, and from it, three fractions were separated in a Si column chromatography. The crude extract and fractions were tested in eight human cancer cell lines for cell viability/toxicity, accessed with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactic dehydrogenase release (LDH) assays. Eight point nine percent of the strains revealed strong cytotoxicity; 17.8% showed moderate cytotoxicity, and 14.3% assays showed low toxicity. The results obtained revealed that the studied genera of marine cyanobacteria are a promising source of novel compounds with potential anticancer activity and highlight the interest in also exploring the smaller filamentous and picoplanktonic genera of cyanobacteria.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.