EVIDENCE FOR SEVERAL TYPES OF BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN NORTHPACIFIC SEA-ANEMONES

1. Twenty-two sea anemone samples from seven species were collected in Aleutian and Comandorskiye Islands from sub-littoral region (> 50 m d epth). 2. Water-ethanol extracts of sea anemones were tested using var ious test-systems after ethanol evaporation. 3. All sea anemones extra cts inhibited DNA and most of them inhibited RNA synthesis in Ehrlich carcinoma tumor cells. 4. Extracts of most sea anemones species showed high hemolytic activity. 5. The extracts proved to be nontoxic or dis play low toxicity being i.p. injected into mice. 6. Some extracts prec ipitated virus of aleutian disease of mink. 7. None of the extracts sh owed activity toward Gram +ve, Gram -ve bacteria or yeast.