New Steroids from the Soft Coral Nephthea chabrolii

Abstract

A new cytotoxic 19-oxygenated steroid, nebrosteroid Q (1) and two new cytotoxic 19-norergosterols, nebrosteroids R and S (2 and 3) were isolated from the soft coral Nephthea chabrolii collected at San-Hsian-Tai. The structures of nebrosteroids Q–S (1–3) were elucidated by spectral analysis, and their cytotoxicity against selected cancer cells as well as antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) were measured in vitro.

Keywords

• Nephthea chabrolii
• 19-oxygenated steroid
• norergosterol
• cytotoxicity