Gr. Pettit et al., ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENTS - 386 - ISOLATION OF SESTERSTATINS-1-3 FROM THEMARINE SPONGE HYRTIOS-ERECTA, Journal of natural products, 61(1), 1998, pp. 13-16
The Republic of Maldives' black marine sponge Hyrtios erecta has been
found to contain three cancer cell-line inhibitory pentacyclic sestert
erpenes designated sesterstatins 1-3 (2-4). One of the sesterterpenes,
sesterstatin 2, specifically inhibited the Gram-positive opportunist
Staphylococcus aureus. All three of the P-388 lymphocytic-leukemia-act
ive (ED50 0.46 to 4.3 mu g/mL) sesterstatins were obtained in trace qu
antities (3.0 x 10(-7) to 5.4 x 10(-7)% yields) and represent structur
al variations on the more usual scalarin-type porifera sesterterpenes.
The structures were elucidated by highfield (500 MHz) 2D NMR techniqu
es augmented by HRMS results.