New Metabolites from the South China Sea Sponge Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa.

Chemical investigation on CH2Cl2 extract of the marine sponge Diacarnus megaspinorhabdosa resulted in the isolation of two new farnesylacetone derivatives 1-2, a new γ-lactone 3, a known dinorditerpenone 4 and four known norsesterterpene peroxides 5-8. Their structures were elucidated by using one and two dimensional (1D and 2D)-NMR, high resolution-electrospray ionization (HR-ESI)-MS, and comparison with the literature. Compounds 1 and 2 were cis/trans-olefinic isomers and determined through nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) experiment. The absolute configuration of 3 was established by comparison of circular dichroism (CD) data with known lactones. The cytotoxic activities of the compounds were evaluated against five cancer cell lines, and compound 3 showed moderate cytotoxicity activities against cancer cell lines HeLa, H446, NCI-H460, SGC-7901 and MCF-7, with IC50 values in the range of 18.5 to 47.1 µM.

New hippolide derivatives with protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity from the marine sponge Hippospongia lachne.

Five new sesterterpenoids, compounds 1-5, have been isolated from the sponge Hippospongia lachne off Yongxing Island in the South China Sea. The structures of compounds 1-5 were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HRMS, 1D, and 2D NMR experiments. The stereochemistry, including absolute configurations of these compounds, was determined by spectroscopic, chemical, and computational methods. Compounds 1 and 5 showed moderate protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 5.2 µM and 8.7 µM, respectively, more potent than previously reported hippolides.

Hippolachnin A, a new antifungal polyketide from the South China Sea sponge Hippospongia lachne.

Hippolachnin A (1), a polyketide possessing an unprecedented carbon skeleton with a four-membered ring, was isolated from the South China Sea sponge Hippospongia lachne. The structure was elucidated using MS and NMR spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute configuration was determined using a calculated ECD method. Hippolachnin A demonstrated potent antifungal activity against three pathogenic fungi, Cryptococcus neoformans, Trichophyton rubrum, and Microsporum gypseum, with a MIC value of 0.41 µM for each fungus.

Simplextones A and B, unusual polyketides from the marine sponge Plakortis simplex.

Two novel polyketides, simplextones A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the sponge Plakortis simplex. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods. The absolute configurations were assigned by modified Mosher's method, X-ray crystallographic analysis, and quantum mechanical calculation of the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectrum. Compounds 1 and 2 featured an unprecedented polyketide skeleton via the connection of a single carbon-carbon bond to form a cyclopentane. These compounds also exhibited moderate cytotoxicity.

Hippolides A-H, acyclic manoalide derivatives from the marine sponge Hippospongia lachne.

Eight new acyclic manoalide-related sesterterpenes, hippolides A-H (1-8), together with two known manoalide derivatives, (6E)-neomanoalide (9) and (6Z)-neomanoalide (10), were isolated from the South China Sea sponge Hippospongia lachne. The absolute configurations of 1-8 were established by the modified Mosher's method and CD data. Compound 1 exhibited cytotoxicity against A549, HeLa, and HCT-116 cell lines with IC50 values of 5.22×10(-2), 4.80×10(-2), and 9.78 µM, respectively. Compound 1 also showed moderate PTP1B inhibitory activitiy with an IC50 value of 23.81 µM, and compound 2 showed moderate cytotoxicity against the HCT-116 cell line and PTP1B inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 35.13 and 39.67 µM, respectively. In addition, compounds 1 and 5 showed weak anti-inflammatory activity, with IC50 values of 61.97 and 40.35 µM for PKCγ and PKCα, respectively.

Simultaneous determination of five characteristic stilbene glycosides in root bark of Morus albus L. (Cortex Mori) using high-performance liquid chromatography.

INTRODUCTION: Cortex Mori, one of the well-known traditional Chinese herbal medicines, is derived from the root bark of Morus alba L. according to the China Pharmacopeia. Stilbene glycosides are the main components isolated from aqueous extracts of Morus alba and their content varies depending on where Cortex Mori was collected. We have established a qualitative and quantitative method based on the bioactive stilbene glycosides for control of the quality of Cortex Mori from different sources. OBJECTIVE: To develop a high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet absorption detection for simultaneous quantitative determination of five major characteristic stilbene glycosides in 34 samples of the root bark of Morus alba L. (Cortex Mori) from different sources. METHODOLOGY: The analysis was performed on an ODS column using methanol-water-acetic acid (18: 82: 0.1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase and the peaks were monitored at 320 nm. RESULTS: All calibration curves showed good linearity (r ≥ 0.9991) within test ranges. This method showed good repeatability for the quantification of these five components in Cortex Mori with intra- and inter-day standard deviations less than 2.19% and 1.45%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The validated method was successfully applied to quantify the five investigated components, including a pair of cis-trans-isomers 1 and 2 and a pair of isomers 4 and 5 in 34 samples of Cortex Mori from different sources.

New cytotoxic oxygenated sterols from marine bryozoan Bugula neritina.

Two new oxygenated sterols, 3ß,24(S)-dihydroxycholesta-5,25-dien-7-one and 3ß,25-dihydroxycholesta-5,23-dien-7-one, were isolated from the marine bryozoan Bugula neritina. Their chemical structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Both compounds exhibited cytotoxicity to three human cancer cell lines (HepG2, HT-29 and NCI-H460), with IC50 values between 22.58 and 53.41 µg mL⁻¹.