Mediterranean and Black Sea organisms and algae from mariculture as sources of antitumor drugs.

Mussels and tunicates cultivated in Mediterranean and Black Sea are the sources of antitumor drugs. Three compounds isolated from these animals (ET-743, aplidin and bryostatin-1) are on the II-III stages of clinical trials. Carotenoid fucoxantin that is present in edible brown algae possesses antitumor activity.