Antibacterial activity of volatile secondary metabolites from Caribbean soft corals of the genus Gorgonia

The volatile secondary metabolites of Caribbean corals from three species o f the genus Gorgonia were studied. The main constituents of the gorgonian s pecies G. ventalina, G. flabelum and G. mariae were identified and 12 metab olites were isolated and identified. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the volatile constituents was also studied against six Gram-positive or -n egative bacteria exhibiting a wide spectrum of antibacterial activities. Fu ranotriene, dihydro-alpha -santalen-12-one and E-nerolidol showed the most interesting antibacterial action. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd .