It has already lowered choles- 

 terol in animals without side ef- 

 fects. But General Mills, the 

 company exploring chitosan's 

 anti-cholesterol ability, has yet to 

 test the derivative in humans. 



But crab shell by-products 

 aren't the only marine substances 

 intriguing Sea Grant scientists. 

 Delaware researchers are also 

 delving into medical uses for 

 mussel glue— a strong adhesive 

 used by mussels and barnacles 

 to attach themselves to rocks, 

 piers and even each other. 



This natural glue hardens and 

 forms a strong adhesive bond in 

 a watery environment that is not 

 unlike the inside of the mouth, the 

 eye or the human body. 



A little dab of this non-toxic 

 adhesive could revolutionize the 

 way broken bones are set, eye 

 surgery is performed and cavities 

 are filled. Even soft body tissues 

 and vital organs could be repaired 

 with a drop or two of mussel glue. 



But if arthritis is a nagging pain 

 making you miserable, a sponge 

 may offer comfort. 



Hawaii Sea Grant scientists have 

 isolated a substance called man- 

 oalide from a Pacific sponge. It 

 promises to offer all the benefits of 

 the commonly used anti-inflam- 

 matory drug hydrocortisone. But 

 unlike hydrocortisone, it poses 

 none of the side effects of steroids. 



This anti-inflammatory snake oil 

 presents a passel of medicinal 

 uses: arthritis, auto-immune dis- 



eases, asthma, multiple sclerosis, 

 therapy for organ transplants, skin 

 diseases, attacks of poison oak or 

 ivy, insect bites and, yes, snake 

 bites. 



An amino acid extracted from 

 marine algae and bacteria by 

 California Sea Grant scientists 

 could aid in the diagnosis and 

 treatment of nervous system dis- 

 orders. And an acorn worm discov- 

 ered in the deep waters off Maui 

 by Hawaii researchers holds 

 promise for treating tumors. 



This exploration of the under- 

 water pharmacy is not a lonely 

 search. Researchers from marine 

 institutes, pharmaceutical com- 

 panies and national health organi- 

 zations, such as the National 

 Cancer Institute, are unlocking 

 some pharmaceutical secrets, too. 



Here are a few other noteworthy 

 discoveries: 



An algae extract that stimulates 

 the immune system could become 

 important for AIDS and cancer 

 patients. 



• A sponge derivative has inhib- 

 ited the AIDS virus in laboratory 

 experiments. 



From a green slimy pancake that 

 encrusts rocks and corals may 

 come a new cancer drug. The 

 drug also displays anti-viral 

 tendencies that may make it use- 

 ful in fighting yellow fever and 

 herpes. 



• Leukemia victims may see a 

 cure in a marine coral. 



But the discovery of these 

 marine drugs and their possible 

 production raises the spectre of 

 overharvesting, exploitation and 

 possibly extinction of marine ani- 

 mals and plants. 



But this may not happen, says 

 Moore, a Sea Grant scientist at 

 the University of Hawaii. 



Moore says that for now the 

 ocean presents too many obsta- 

 cles to make massive harvesting 

 economically feasible. But, he 

 says, other options are available. 



Some organisms and plants 

 could be cultured, creating a con- 

 stant supply for production. Others 

 could be chemically synthesized 

 or engineered using biotechnology. 



However they make it to the 

 pharmacy shelves, marine drugs 

 are a wave of the future. 



