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| Technology Profile |
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Title: PSUEDOPTEROSIN COMPOUNDS OF SYMBIODINIUM SPP ISOLATED FROM PSEUDOTEROGORGIA ELISABETHAE
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Industry: Biomedical
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| Owner: University of California, Santa Barbara |
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Description:
BACKGROUND: Pseudopterogorgia is a marine animal from which a group of compounds called pseudopterosins has been isolated. The pseudopterosins have been useful as anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. Unfortunately, in order to obtain these therapeutic compounds, the marine animals are sacrificed. As animal products are often undesirable for use in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, many have attempted to chemically synthesize these complex compounds. Others have attempted to elucidate the biosynthetic pathway to make pseudopterosins with in vitro and in vivo recombinant systems that use crude or semi-purified enzyme extracts. These chemical and biosynthetic methods are expensive and often unsuccessful. Thus, a need exists for pseudopterosin compounds of non-animal origin and inexpensive methods for obtaining the pseudopterosin compounds.
DESCRIPTION: Researchers at the University of California have discovered that an algae symbiont, Symbiodinum spp., is involved in the synthesis of pseudopterosin compounds and can produce pseudopterosin compounds without the aid of the host, P. elisabethae. Thus, pseudopterosin compounds may be produced by or isolated from Symbiodinium symbionts without the need to destroy the marine animal host. These compounds, as well as their salts, analogs, and derivatives, and methods to produce these compounds are available. In addition, pharmaceutical preparations and therapeutic methods are available.
ADVANTAGES:
- The compounds are potent anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative agents, and are non-narcotic analgesics.
- The pharmaceutical compositions may be administered orally, rectally, nasally, topically, vaginally, or parenterally.
- The compounds can be prepared without the need for sacrificing animals.
APPLICATIONS: The pseudopterosin compounds may be useful in the treatment of:
- Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatic carditis, auto-immune diseases such as myasthenia gravis, allergic diseases, bronchial asthma.
- Ocular and skin inflammatory diseases such as poison ivy, and conjunctivitis.
- Proliferative diseases such as psoriasis.
- Neurological diseases involving metabolism of nervous tissue phospholipid, such as multiple sclerosis.
- Insect bites, bee or wasp stings or any venom in which a major constituent is the enzyme phospholipase A2.
- Pain resulting from traumatic injury or acute progressive disease, such as post operative pain, burns, or other conditions involving a coincident inflammation.
- Inflammatory diseases of the lungs, including emphysema and chronic inflammation due to smoking.
- Degenerative diseases associated with radiation exposure.
- Other inflammatory conditions such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis, inflammation associated with coronary angioplasty, and nephritis.
- Infections, diseases and disorders related to an organism belonging to the kingdom Protista, including malaria, Chagas' disease, African sleeping sickness, Leishmaniasis, giardiasis, or amebic dysentery.
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Download Available: NCD_2002-044
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Contact Info
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Manager: Sherylle Mills Englander
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Institution: University of California, Santa Barbara
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Email: (email this person)
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Phone Number: 805-893-5180
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