Auroside, a xylosyl-sterol, and patusterol A and B, two hydroxylated sterols, from two soft corals Eleutherobia aurea and Lobophytum patulum.

A new sterol glycoside, auroside (1) and two new hydroxylated sterols, patusterol A and B (2, 3) have been isolated from the South African soft coral Eleutherobia aurea and from the Kenyan soft coral Lobophytum patulum. The structure elucidation was achieved from extensive 1D- and 2D- NMR and MS data, and in the case of auroside also by chemical reactions. In addition, from Lobophytum patulum, was also isolated a known nitrogen containing compound (Z)-N-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]-3-methyldodec-2-enamide, and from Eleutherobia aurea several, earlier reported, diterpenoids. Compound 2 was found to be toxic to brine shrimp embryos with an LC50 value of 2.30 microM.