Plexaura is a genus of gorgonian-type octocorals in the family Plexauridae.

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.

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 Kükenthal, 1917 Plexaura fusca Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1860 Plexaura hartmeyeri Moser, 1921 Plexaura homomalla (Esper, 1792) Plexaura kukenthali Moser, 1921 Plexaura kuna Lasker, Kim & Coffroth, 1996 Plexaura laevigata Moser, 1921 Plexaura miniacea Ehrenberg, 1834 Plexaura nina Bayer & Deichmann, 1958 Plexaura pinnata Nutting, 1910 Plexaura porosa (Esper, 1794) Plexaura racemosa Valenciennes, 1855 Plexaura ramosa Moser, 1921 Plexaura turgida (Ehrenberg, 1834) Plexaura valenciennesi Wright & Studer, 1889 Plexaura volvata Kunze, 1917

References