Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Soft corals 'melt due to global warming'

It's too late. We have now actually missed the boat in finding some key pharmaceuticals. There is a huge gap in our knowledge of soft corals in the reef environment, and with the rate of extinction, we have lost certain species forever.
-- says Hudi Benayahu of Tel Aviv University.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

What pharmaceuticals have been developed from coral reefs that are now being used? As a pre-med student I am definitely curious!

The Wild Type
http://outdoorsblogger.com/thewildtype

12:17 am  
Blogger Caspar Henderson said...

A good question, but it's not one I have researched.

One often hears something along the lines that "biologically active compounds produced by reef dwelling organisms possess antimicrobial and antiviral activities", or that "anti-cancer drugs and painkillers have been developed from coral reef products" but I don't have a list of specific examples to hand.

Could Prof Benayahu and/or others could kindly enlighten us both?

6:18 pm  

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