Sterols from the Octocoral Nephthea columnaris.

Two new sterols, columnaristerols B () and C (), along with two known analogues, 5,6-epoxylitosterol () and litosterol (), were obtained from the octocoral . The structures of new sterols and were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods and comparing the spectroscopic data with those of known related metabolites. Sterol was found to suppress superoxide anion production and elastase secretion by human neutrophils.

4α-Methylergosta-22(E),24(28)-dien-3β-ol, a New Marine Sterol from the Octocoral Nephthea columnaris.

A new marine sterol, 4a-methylergosta-22(E),24(28)-dien-3 P-ol (1), was isolated from the octocoral Nephthea columnaris. The structure of I was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and mass spectrometric methods.

Columnaristerol A, a novel 19-norsterol from the Formosan octocoral Nephthea columnaris.

Columnaristerol A (1), a rare natural 19-norsterol possessing a 10β-hydroxy group was isolated from the Formosan octocoral Nephthea columnaris, and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Sterol 1 was found to be a cytotoxic agent that exhibited in vitro moderate cytotoxic activity against MOLT-4 and SUP-T1 human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines.