In a brilliant flash of insight, researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center realized that squalamine, originally from shark livers, has anti-viral properties. Seems that, they noticed that sharks don't get many viruses, probably from the lack of great white sharks in the ER. Sharks don't have insurance.
Of course this piece of information has been available to them from the researchers in the supplement industry for decades. There have been numerous studies on shark liver oil:
Arthur, G., and Bittman, R. "The inhibition of cell signaling pathways by antitumor ether lipids." Biochim Biophys Acta 1998 Feb5; 1390(1): 85-102.
Fujiwara, K., et.al. "Cytokinetic and morophologic differences in ovarian cancer cells treated with ET-18-OCH3 and the DNA-interacting agent, etoposide." Anticancer Res 1997 May-Jun; 17(3C): 2159-67.
Hichami, A., et.al. "Modulation of platelet-activating-factor production by incorporation of naturally occurring 1-O-alkylglycerols in phospholipids of human leukemic monocyte-like THP-1 cells."
Eur J Biochem 1997 Dec 1; 250(2): 242-8.
LeBlanc, K., et.al. "1-O-hexadecyl-2-metoxy-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine-a methoxy ether lipid inhibiting platelet activating factor-induced platelet aggregation and neutrophil oxidative metabolism." Biochem Pharmacol 1995 May 26; 49(11): 1577-82.
Pugliese, Peter T. Devour Disease with Shark Liver Oil. Green Bay: Health Information Specialists, 1999.
Pugliese, PT., et.al. "Some biological actions of alkylglycerols from shark liver oil." J Altern Complement Med 1998 Spring:4(1): 87-99.
Robinson, M., et.al. "Inhibition of phorbol ester-stimulated arachidonic acid releases by alkylglycerols." Biochim Biophys Acta 1995 Feb 9: 1254(3): 361-7.
Verdonck, LF., and van Heugten HG. "Ether lipids are effective cytotoxic drugs against multidrug-resistant acute leukemia cells and can act by the induction of apoptosis." Leuk Res 1997 Jan; 21 (1):37-43.
Wang, H. "Differentiation-promoting effect in human colon cancer cells." J Cell Physiol 1999 Feb;178(2): 173-8.
Seems that these studies are not valid because they are for a “supplement”. Now that a pharmaceutical company has made a patentable synthetic version, squalamine bears studying. Of course they are quick to point out that squalamine comes from liver tissue, originally. It is however present in the oil with several other compounds that provide immune support. What I fear they are overlooking is the fact that the virus free sharks have all of these compounds, not just the squalamine. That is usually important to achieve the health benefits desired. Kinda why you have to eat your vegetables, not just “take a pill”.
I am glad they have found a more sustainable way to create squalamine. I have no issue with a company making money selling their products. It is also nice to watch them back away from the scoffing they do towards supplements as well.
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