Squalamine

• What other names is Squalamine known by?
• What is Squalamine?
• How does Squalamine work?
• Are there safety concerns?
• Dosing considerations for Squalamine.

What other names is Squalamine known by?

Aiguillat, Escualamina, Spiny Dogfish Shark, Squalene, Squalène, Squalus acanthias.

What is Squalamine?

Squalamine is a chemical produced from the stomach and the liver of the spiny dogfish shark. Squalamine can also be made in the laboratory.

People take squalamine as an antibiotic to fight bacterial infections.

The lab-made version of squalamine is sometimes applied directly to the skin as an antibiotic.

Some researchers are studying squalamine to see if it might be effective against solid tumors in children. Other researchers are studying squalamine in combination with a prescription high blood pressure medication called captopril. They want to see if this combination is a good treatment for eye disease caused by diabetes.

Don't confuse squalamine with shark cartilage, which is prepared from the cartilage of spiny dogfish shark, hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini), and other shark species.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Cancer.
• Eye conditions in people with diabetes.
• Infections, when taken by mouth or applied to the skin.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of squalamine for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).