Isolation and bioactivities of epidioxysterol from the tunicate Cynthia savignyi

From a hexane extract of the tunicate Cynthia savignyi, collected in Morocc o, epidioxysterol or 5,8-alpha -epidioxy-5 alpha -cholest-6-en-3 beta -ol h as been isolated. This is the first example of epidioxysterol found in the tunicate C. savignyi. The structure of epidioxysterol has been characterise d by NMR data (H-1, C-13 and 2D). Epidioxysterol possesses antifungal activ ity against three tomato pathogenic fungi: Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysp orum and Verticillium albo atrum and antibacterial activity against Agrobac terium tumefaciens, Escherichia coil, Staphylococcus faecalis, Staphylococc us aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and cytotoxicity against Artemia salin a larvae. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.