an update on the therapeutic role of alkylglycerols一个更新alkylglycerols的治疗作用.pdfVIP

Mar. Drugs 2010, 8, 2267-2300; doi:10.3390/md8082267 OPEN ACCESS Marine Drugs ISSN 1660-3397 /journal/marinedrugs Review An Update on the Therapeutic Role of Alkylglycerols Tommaso Iannitti 1,* and Beniamino Palmieri 2,* 1 Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK 2 Department of General Surgery and Surgical Specialties, Medical School and Surgical Clinic, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy * Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mails: tommaso.iannitti@ (T.I.); palmieri@unimo.it (B.P.); Tel.: +39-328-281-3314; Fax: +44-0141-331-3208. Received: 19 June 2010; in revised form: 27 July 2010 / Accepted: 3 August 2010 / Published: 5 August 2010 Abstract: Scandinavian folk medicine used shark liver oil for the treatment of cancers and other ailments based on the rarity of tumors in sharks and their ability to resist infections. Shark liver oil is a source of alkylglycerols which have been studied as anti-cancer agents in several clinical trials. Moreover, alkylglycerols have been investigated for the treatment of radiation induced side effects and for their ability to boost the immune system. Several experimental studies have shown the ability of alkylglycerols to open the blood brain barrier to facilitate the access of therapeutic drugs to the central nervous system. This review covers the most important studies of alkylglycerols in both animals and humans. Keywords: alkylglycerols; alkoxyg