Two new polyhydroxylated steroids from Egyptian soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens (Fam.; Xeniidae)

Abstract

Two new polyhydroxylated steroids, 3β-acetoxy-gorgost-5α,6β,11α-triol (3) and (23 R) methylergosta-20-ene-3β,5α,6β,17α-tetrol (4), together with three known gorgosteroid compounds, gorgost-3β, 5α,6β,11α- tetrol (1), 11α-acetoxy-gorgost- 3β,5α, 6β- triol (2), and gorgost-5 (E) ene-3-β-ol (5), as well as batyl alcohol (6), were isolated from the Egyptian soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens. The structures of these compounds were elucidated based on NMR spectroscopic analyses, HR-FAB-MS, and comparisons with published data. The cytotoxic activities of the fractions and compounds were evaluated against MCF-7 cancer cell lines using MTT colorimetric assay. Compounds 2 and 4 showed moderate cytotoxic activity, with IC₅₀ values equal to 33.2 and 25.1 µM, respectively, in comparison with the IC₅₀ of 5-fluorouracil 18.7 µM.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Polyhydroxylated
• heteroxenia
• cytotoxicity
• MCF-7

Acknowledgement

We would like to express our praise to Dr. Shingo Yokota, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan, for carrying out the IR measurements. F. M. A. gratefully acknowledges the cultural affairs section and the Ministry of Higher Education, Egypt for scholarship support.