Marine Medicines

Cone Snails
Abstract:
This particular snail serves more than just one medicinal purpose. It provides two promising
treatments/medicines that are used today. They produce chemicals and toxins that are
extracted and used as insulin. Scientists are continuing to research them.
Research:
Each cone snail species produces more than 100 conotoxins so they are very diverse. Although
only about 0.1% of these some 50,000 peptides have been characterized, many have already
been identified to have pharmaceutical uses.

A potentially useful medicine from the venom of cone snails is insulin. The cone snail insulin is a
single molecule that acts within 5 minutes. In contrast, human insulin is stored as a cluster of six
insulin molecules that must separate to become active, and separation can take 60 minutes.
The cone snail uses its insulin to immobilize fish by hypoglycemic shock (caused by extremely
low blood sugar). Researchers are studying cone snail insulin for ideas to make better insulin for
use in humans.

Another medicine currently used in humans is the painkiller ziconotide. It’s harder to extract from
the snail but it's more powerful than morphine, not addictive, and people don’t build up a
tolerance. It must be injected directly into spinal fluid and since this is slightly dangerous
researchers are continuing to study ways to get the peptide across the blood-brain barrier. A fun
fact of this medication is that it suggests an odd side effect: people who take ziconotide hear
music in their heads.
Conclusion:
The cone snail produces many different types of toxins and chemicals that are beneficial to
humans. Two of the main ones are insulin and ziconotide. One regulates your blood sugar level
and the other is a strong painkiller that proves to be safer than some addictive, synthetic ones.

Brown Bryozoan
Abstract:
This invertebrate could prove to be one of the greatest breakthroughs in the medical field not
only in the recent future but in all of history. If scientists do find a way to harvest this required
substance they could begin to treat cancer patients and save millions of lives. The brown
bryozoan is extremely important for the future of our existence and for medical purposes for
people all around the world.
Research:
The brown bryozoan is being studied and utilized for a potential Alzheimer's disease and cancer
drug. Although it is the bryozoan that's being studied, it does not make the chemical itself. The
chemical, found in the bryozoan's tissues, is produced by a bacterial endosymbiont, Candidatus
Endobugula sertula. In exchange for a protective home in the bryozoan's tissues, the bacteria
produces a chemical called a bryostatin that makes the bryozoan larvae taste bad to predators.
This study is still fairly new and has hit some roadblocks. Even if there were enough of these
invertebrates in the sea,​ collecting enough bryostatin would be environmentally destructive. If
medical fields can not provide it for everyone, then they can not use it.

Conclusion:
In conclusion this marine invertebrate is and has potential to be extremely beneficial to the
medical fields of the present day. Since there are no medicines for cancer this would be an
enormous breakthrough and would not only help save peoples lives but also be incredibly
beneficial to the market. I think further researching them is the smartest action to go forward
with.

References:
From cone snail venom to pain relief: How conotoxins can be used in pain therapy
Fresh Evidence Points to Marine Bacteria as Source of Anti-Cancer Drug