New plastoquinones isolated from the brown alga, Sargassum micracanthum

Abstract

Four new plastoquinones were isolated from the methanolic extract of the brown alga, Sargassum micracanthum. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic analysis and chemical conversions from 2-geranyl-geranyl-6-methyl- 1,4-benzohydroquinone. These plastoquinones exhibited significant antioxidant activities such as an inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation and a radical scavenging effect on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Some of the new plastoquiones showed cytotoxic activity against cancer cell line. © 2005 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.