The defenses that have been developed by the inhabitants of coral reefs to protect your space and your life may have the key to curing many diseases. But its future is uncertain

Coral reefs – often called “the tropical forests of the seas” – are one of the most biodiverse habitats of the world.

“The diving on the reefs i feel as if I were in another world. All these wild patterns and combinations, different to anything I’ve ever seen before! Nor the fashion designers can imagine something so extravagant”, tells the BBC the ecological economist Trista Patterson.

However, the beauty of the creatures hidden a purpose much more important than simply dazzled.
These caleidoscopios of color and life that cover less than 0.1 % of the planet are home to the 25% of marine species.
Therefore, are the scene of a battle underwater.

“The coral-reef organisms living in an intense competition for space and are constantly at risk of predation,” explains the principal scientist of the international non-profit organization The Nature Conservancy, Dr. M. Sanjayan.

“So there is unpleasant neighbors and neighbors who are trying to eat them”.

As many of the creatures are stationary or small, have developed chemical defenses to protect themselves from predators. And interestingly, it is why in this ancient ecosystem potentially is the basis of the drugs of the future.

“These small animals that inhabit coral reefs need to be filled with chemicals – chemicals unusual, distinctive, very offensive, so that no one approach them or to avoid the eat”.

These powerful weapons can save keys to finding the way to cure a variety of illnesses ranging from cancer or Alzheimer’s disease until certain viruses or arthritis.

“Is this soup of chemicals which makes coral reefs a treasure chest for any hunter of medicines”.

“It could be the largest pharmacopoeia of nature,” he said to the BBC on marine conservation biologist Callum Roberts.

“Tens of thousands of chemicals have already been identified, of which hundreds are currently under intensive investigation”, ensures the expert.

For example, says, “the sponges are sources of chemicals particularly rich, especially of chemicals against cancer: several have been shown to be tumor suppressors and one already has a license to be used in the treatment of chemotherapy’.

It is three or four hundred times more possible to find more remedies in the Indian Ocean on solid ground.
But this kit of medicines that potentially save lives, faces an uncertain future.

Coral reefs are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems of the Earth.

“They are threatened by a cocktail of stressors that include pollution, overfishing and climate change,” says Callum.

AND regrets: “lose that chance of treatments by the destruction of coral reefs would be a folly unparalleled”.

“The loss of coral means that this vast drug cupboard, only now are we beginning to understand and to use for our benefit, would be lost forever,” he said Sanjayan to the BBC.