Erectcyanthins A-C from marine sponge Hyrtios erectus: anti-dyslipidemic agents attenuate hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase

Abstract

Bioactivity-steered chromatographic purification of the solvent extract of marine sponge Hyrtios erectus (Thorectidae) led to the isolation of three undescribed cyanthiwigin-type diterpenoids, erectcyanthins A-C. Erectcyanthin B exhibited comparable attenuation activity against 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (IC₅₀ 0.07 mM) with that displayed by anti-dyslipidemic agent atorvastatin (IC₅₀ 0.08 mM). Comparatively greater antioxidant properties of erectcyanthin B (IC₅₀ ∼ 0.4 mM) than that displayed by erectcyanthin A (IC₅₀ ∼ 0.5 mM), erectcyanthin C and the standard α-tocopherol (IC₅₀ 1.5–1.7 mM) against oxidants also corroborated its promising bioactivity. Erectcyanthin B exhibited considerably greater anti-inflammatory activities (IC₅₀ 0.88–1.09 mM) than other erectcyanthin analogues in the series. The potential anti-dyslipidemic activity of erectcyanthins was linearly correlated with electronic parameter (topological polar surface area ∼ 74.6) along with balanced hydrophilic-lipophilic properties (logarithmic octanol-water partition coefficient 1.76). This study recognized the anti-dyslipidemic property of erectcyanthin B as a promising pharmaceutical lead.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Hyrtios erectus
• Thorectidae
• erectcyanthins
• cyanthiwigin-type compounds
• diterpenoids
• anti-dyslipidemic

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR, New Delhi, India) under Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) project ‘Development of Bioactive Pharmacophores from Marine Organisms’ (MBT/HLT/SUB23). The authors are grateful to the Director, ICAR-CMFRI, and Head, Marine Biotechnology Division of ICAR-CMFRI for facilitating the research activities. The authors are thankful to the Chairman, Department of Chemistry, Mangalore University (Karnataka, India) for providing with necessary support.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Data availability

Chromatographic and spectroscopic spectral data are included as supplementary information.

Additional information

Funding

Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI) (grant number MBT/HLT/SUB23).