Symbiotic Bacteria in Sponges: Sources of Bioactive Substances

Abstract

Ancient maritime people,, notably the Ch~nese and Japanese, ate a variety of iodine-rich ,eaweeds that undoubtedly accounted for their low incidence of goiter. They also used certain seaweeds as medicinals. An early Chinese pharmacopoeia recommended seaweeds for such diverse maladies as dropsy, menstrual difficulties, abscesses, and cancer. A mixture of seven seaweeds served as a verm~fuge( I), and a derivati~eo f agar was used for gastro~ntestinal disorder, (2) Classical wr~tersIn the West d ~ dno t share the Or~ental enthu\iasm for \eaweeds. Virgil and Horace were both convinced that there was nothing more vile than algae: "nihil \.ilior alxci "! This, in spite of the fact that their Roman ladies used rouge made from a red seaweed and bedecked themselves in beautiful gowns dyed purple with a seaweed extract (I). Almost 75 years later, another Roman attributed some rather b17arre medicinal effects to marine animal,. Pliny the Elder suggested that the cinders from the burnt spine of a stingray mixed with vinegar would alleviate the pain of toothache. And a pregnant woman would be assured of an easy childbirth if she wore a stingray spine around her navel, but only if the spine was removed from a living my: the ray would have to be returned alive to the sea. Although Pliny d ~ ndo t recommend the polson from the sea hare as an abortifacient. he considered this naked mollusk's toxin to be so potent that if a pregnant woman even looked at it she would feel immediate pain, become nauseous, and abort (3).