Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evaporator.Research indicates that Prostaglandin A2 may have activity against cancer. Under laboratory conditions prostaglandin A2 was able to inhibit enzymes present in some cancer cells. Prostaglandin A2 has shown to have cytotoxic activity towards both breast cancer and lung cancer cells. Treatment with prostaglandin A2 was also found to have major benefits for lung endothelial cells. Increasing recovery rates, decreasing inflammation and enhancing the endothelial cell barrier.
This compound may have the potential to help people suffering from a respiratory infection recover quicker and easier with less chance of another infection due to the strengthening of the endothelial cell barrier.
''Plexaura'' is a
genus of gorgonian-type
octocorals
Octocorallia (also known as Alcyonaria) is a class of Anthozoa comprising around 3,000 species of water-based organisms formed of colonial polyps with 8-fold symmetry. It includes the blue coral, soft corals, sea pens, and gorgonians (sea fans ...
in the
family Plexauridae
Plexauridae is a family of marine colonial octocorals in the phylum Cnidaria. Members of this family are found in shallow tropical and subtropical seas. Many species contain symbiotic photosynthetic protists called zooxanthellae.
Characteristi ...
.
Species
The World Register of Marine Species lists these species:
[
*'' Plexaura aggregata'' Nutting, 1910
*'' Plexaura arbuscula'' Duchassaing, 1850
*'' Plexaura atra'' (Verrill, 1901)
*'' Plexaura attenuata'' Nutting, 1910
*'' Plexaura capoblancoi'' Stiasny, 1936
*'' Plexaura corticosa'' Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860
*'' Plexaura dubia'' Kölliker, 1865
*'' Plexaura edwardsi'' Moser, 1921
*'' Plexaura ehrenbergi'' Kölliker, 1865
*'' Plexaura esperi'' Verrill, 1907
*'' Plexaura flava'' Nutting, 1910
*'' Plexaura flavida'' (Lamarck, 1815)
*'']Plexaura flexuosula Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Kükenthal, 1917
*'' Plexaura fusca'' Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860
*'' Plexaura hartmeyeri'' Moser, 1921
*''Plexaura homomalla
''Plexaura homomalla'', commonly known as the black sea rod or Caribbean sea whip, is a species of gorgonian-type octocoral in the family Plexauridae. It is widely distributed in the Caribbean from the Florida Keys to the northern coast of Vene ...
'' (Esper, 1792)
*''Plexaura kukenthali Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Moser, 1921
*''Plexaura kuna Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Lasker, Kim & Coffroth, 1996
*''Plexaura laevigata Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Moser, 1921
*''Plexaura miniacea Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Ehrenberg, 1834
*''Plexaura nina Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Bayer & Deichmann, 1958
*''Plexaura pinnata Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Nutting, 1910
*''Plexaura porosa Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' (Esper, 1794)
*''Plexaura racemosa Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Valenciennes, 1855
*''Plexaura ramosa Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Moser, 1921
*''Plexaura turgida Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' (Ehrenberg, 1834)
*''Plexaura valenciennesi Medical Research
Plexaura is a coral that has a large amount of prostaglandins making it a great natural source of a compound called Prostaglandin A2. Prostaglandins can be extracted from Plexaura using dichloromethane/methanol and a rotary evapo ...
'' Wright & Studer, 1889
*'' Plexaura volvata'' Kunze, 1917
References
Plexauridae
Octocorallia genera
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