Polyoxygenated cembrane diterpenoids from the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi.

Five new polyoxygenated cembranoids, named (+)-1,15-epoxy-2-methoxy-12-methoxycarbonyl-11E-sarcophytoxide (1), (+)-2-epi-12-methoxycarbonyl-11E-sarcophine (2), 3,4-epoxyehrenberoxide A (3), ehrenbergol D (4) and ehrenbergol E (5), were obtained from the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi. The structures of 1-5 were established on the basis of comprehensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS analyses and by comparison with reported data in the literature. Compounds 4 and 5 showed moderate cytotoxicity against P-388 (mouse lymphocytic leukemia) cancer cell line with EC50 values of 2.

New diterpenoids from soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi.

Continuing chemical investigation on the acetone extracts of the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi collected off the coast of San-hsian-tai, Taitong County, Taiwan led to the isolation of two new diterpenoids, ehrenbergol C and acetyl ehrenberoxide B (1 and 2). The structures of these isolated metabolites were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analyses. Moreover, in vitro tests show that compounds 1 and 2 displayed antiviral activity towards human cytomegalovirus, with EC50 of 20 and 8.

Three new cembranoids from the Taiwanese soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi.

In order to search for new bioactive substances from marine organisms, we have investigated the acetone extracts of the soft coral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi collected at San-Hsian-Tai, Taitong County, Taiwan. Chromatographic fractionation of the extracts of the octocoral S. ehrenbergi led to the isolation of three new cembranoids, (+)-12-ethoxycarbonyl-11Z-sarcophine (1), ehrenbergol A and B (2 and 3).