Sea Cucumber: Metabolomic Marvels of Stichopus Cf. Horrens

Dive into the world of Stichopus cf. horrens, a sea cucumber teeming with potential bioactive compounds. Explore its metabolomic wonders for health insights.

Highlights:

There is an untapped bioactive potential of the sea cucumber, Stichopus cf. horrens
Diacyl phosphocholines and terpenoid glycosides reveal medicinal and ecological significance
This suggests an intricate balance of marine ecosystems and the sea cucumber's place within it

Stichopus cf. horrens, a sea cucumber native to Southeast Asia, has long-held economic importance attributed to its presumed nutritional and medicinal benefits. Despite its significance, there's a notable gap in biochemical studies when compared to its sea cucumber counterparts. In particular, there's a lack of understanding regarding the compounds contributing to the reported bioactivities of Stichopus cf. horrens, setting the stage for high-throughput characterization of its global metabolite profile.

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‘Beyond the ocean's surface, Stichopus cf. horrens holds a treasure trove of bioactive wonders—nature's pharmacy awaiting discovery. Let's dive deep into the sea cucumber's world! #seacucumber #bioactives #metabolomics’

Metabolomic Exploration of Sea Cucumber

To bridge this gap, a groundbreaking study employed LC-MS/MS experiments, harnessing open-access platforms such as GNPS, XCMS, and metaboAnalyst. This advanced approach revealed a plethora of valuable insights. Bioinformatics-driven molecular networking and chemometrics uncovered the abundance of phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholines (PCs), phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), phosphatidylinositols (PIs), and phosphatidylserines (PSs) in the crude samples.

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Understanding Regional and Ecological Clues of Sea Cucumber

Further analysis delved into the body wall extracts and viscera, showcasing intriguing variances. Diacylated PCs, particularly structural, dominated the body wall extracts. On the other hand, the viscera exhibited a higher relative abundance of single-tail PCs and PEs, hinting at their potential involvement in digestion through nutrient absorption and transport—a fascinating facet of sea cucumber biology.

The study also unveiled the potential role of phosphoethanolamines and sphingolipids in the ecological response and morphological transformations of Stichopus cf. horrens. Particularly in the presence of predators and other environmental stressors, these compounds may play a crucial role in the sea cucumber's adaptive strategies.

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Sea Cucumber Possess Medicinal Properties

A noteworthy discovery emerged as terpenoid glycosides and saponins, known for their reported anti-cancer benefits, were significantly localized in the body wall. This finding elevates the sea cucumber's potential in the realm of natural medicine, hinting at untapped possibilities for developing pharmaceutical interventions.

Beyond medicinal compounds, the study shed light on sulfated alkanes and sterols present in Stichopus cf. horrens. Strikingly similar to known kairomones and other signaling molecules, these chemical components may play vital roles in communication and ecological interactions within the marine environment.

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Stichopus Cf. Horrens Has Nutraceutical and Medicinal Properties

In conclusion, the metabolomic journey of Stichopus cf. horrens has laid a solid foundation for future comparative and exploratory studies. The prevalence of diacyl phosphocholine species, along with phosphoethanolamines, hints at their involvement in the restructuring or remodeling of the dermis during the stress response of the sea cucumber. Additionally, the identified lipids, triterpene glycosides, and other compounds open doors for further research due to their known nutraceutical and medicinal values.

The study's broad, general annotation and identification of compounds present a wider avenue for exploring the untapped potential of Stichopus cf. horrens as a source of high-value biomolecules. From chemotaxonomic markers to specific bioactive compounds, the sea cucumber emerges as a promising subject for in-depth exploration.

Sea Cucumber is Rich in Bioactive Compounds

Beyond the ocean's surface, Stichopus cf. horrens stands as a testament to the undiscovered wonders of marine life. The sea cucumber holds a treasure trove of bioactive compounds, offering a promising avenue for scientific inquiry and potential breakthroughs in medicine and beyond. I hope this meets your expectations. If there are specific aspects you'd like to enhance or modify, please let me know!

References:

Comprehensive metabolomics of Philippine Stichopus cf. horrens reveals diverse classes of valuable small molecules for biomedical applications - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38055702/)

Source-Medindia