Chemistry of the Nudibranch <em>Aldisa andersoni</em>: Structure and Biological Activity of Phorbazole Metabolites

Abstract

The first chemical study of the Indo-Pacific dorid nudibranch <em>Aldisa andersoni</em> resulted in the isolation of five chlorinated phenyl-pyrrolyloxazoles belonging to the phorbazole series. Two new molecules, 9-chloro-phorbazole D and <em>N</em>1-methyl-phorbazole A, co-occurring with known phorbazoles A, B and D, have been characterized. Phorbazoles were found to be present mainly in the external part of the mollusc. The structures of the new compounds were determined by interpretation of spectroscopic data, mainly NMR and mass spectrometry and by comparison with the literature data. Evaluation of feeding-deterrence activity as well as <em>in vitro</em> growth inhibitory properties in human cancer cells was also carried out.

Keywords

• &lt;em&gt;Aldisa andersoni&lt;/em&gt;
• nudibranch mollusc
• structural elucidation
• feeding-deterrence
• growth inhibitory assays