Marine Origin Bioactive Peptides: Novel Advances in the Therapeutic Potential

Marine organisms contain valuable chemical compounds as secondary metabolites such as bioactive peptides that survive in harsh marine environments produced by organisms. They have been considered by scientists for use in medicine and pharmaceutical researches due to their unique and unknown biological properties. Studies on a variety of marine-derived peptides have shown that these compounds as antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, antihypertensive, and anticancer agents can be useful in the treatment of various diseases. While many marine peptides are in various phases of clinical trials, two marine peptide-derived drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), too. This chapter highlights the recent two decades of researches on the biological properties of peptides derived from a variety of living organisms, including microbes, plants, and marine animals, in vivo, vitro, and clinical trials and their potential for disease treatment.