Junceols D-H, new polyoxygenated briaranes from sea whip gorgonian coral Junceella juncea (Ellisellidae)

Abstract

Chemical investigations on the sea whip gorgonian coral Junceella juncea have led to the isolation of five new 8-hydroxybriarane diterpenoids, junceols D - H (1-5). The structures of briaranes 1-5 were determined on the basis of spectroscopic methods and the methylenecyclohexane rings were found to exist in boat form in these new diterpenoids. Junceols D (1) and F - H (3-5) exhibited cytotoxicity toward CCRF-CEM and DLD-1 tumor cells and junceols E - H (2-5) displayed weak inhibitory effects on superoxide anion generation by human neu-trophils. © 2008 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.