Three New Cembranoids from the Taiwanese Soft Coral <em>Sarcophyton ehrenbergi</em>

Abstract

In order to search for new bioactive substances from marine organisms, we have investigated the acetone extracts of the soft coral <em>Sarcophyton ehrenbergi</em><em> </em>collected at San-Hsian-Tai, Taitong County, Taiwan. Chromatographic fractionation of the extracts of the octocoral <em>S</em><em>. ehrenbergi</em> led to the isolation of three new cembranoids, (+)-12-ethoxycarbonyl-11<em>Z</em>-sarcophine (<strong>1</strong>), ehrenbergol A and B (<strong>2</strong> and <strong>3</strong>). The structures of these isolated metabolites were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analyses. Moreover, metabolites <strong>1</strong>–<strong>3</strong> were evaluated <em>in vitro</em> for their cytotoxicity towards selected cancer cell lines and antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV).

Keywords

• &lt;em&gt;Sarcophyton ehrenbergi&lt;/em&gt;
• cembranoids
• cytotoxicity
• anti-HCMV