Seven new compounds (1-6 and 10) with a unique carbon skeleton have been isolated from the sponge Hamigera tarangaensis, and the structure of a previously reported metabolite has been revised from 12 to 8. The structures have been assigned from extensive NMR examination. Compounds 3-6 showed moderate in-vitro cytotoxicity against P-388, while 3 showed 100% in-vitro virus inhibition against both the Herpes and Polio viruses, with only slight cytotoxicity.

Nine sesterterpenes 1-9 have been isolated from a Dictyoceratid sponge, Strepsichordaia lendenfeldi, collected on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Seven of these compounds are new, one [4] had been reported previously as a semisynthetic product, and one [5] had been isolated previously from Carteriospongia foliascens. Unambiguous 13C- and 1H-nmr assignments have been made for 1 based on extensive 1D and 2D high field nmr experiments, which enabled 13C-nmr assignments to be made for 2-9. Significant growth inhibitory effects with tested cancer cell lines are reported for compounds 1-8.

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The sponge Chelonaplysilla violacea, collected from New Zealand coastal waters, contains as major constituents the diterpenoids aplyviolene (la), norrisolide (2), dendrillolide A (3) aplyroseol-7 (4), spongian-16one (5), chelonaplysin C (6), and a series of new compounds cheloviolene A-F and cheloviolin.Structures were assigned to cheloviolene A (7), [3aR-[3=,4a(l R* ,3aR* ,8aS*) ,5/3,6aa]]-5-hydroxy-4(1,4,4trirnethyl-8methylenedecahydroazulen-1-yl) tetrahydrofuro[2,3-b] furan-2(3 H)-one, cheloviolene B (8), [3aR-[3aa,4a(lR* ,3aR* ,8aS*),5a,6aa]]-5-hydroxy-4-(1,4,4-trimethyl-8-methylenedecahydroazulent

This comprehensive compilation presents the available reports on the medicinal use of Fijian plants in an attractive and readable form using 'everyday' terms as much as possible. The book covers the origin and dispersal of plants, literature, use of medicinal plants within traditional Fijian culture, diseases of Fiji, and medicinal chemicals from plants. Four hundred and fifty plant species are described.The entries for species are arranged by plant family, and give current botanical name, Fijian or local name, brief botanical notes, medicinal uses and chemistry. Separate indexes to plant species and Fijian names are provided, as well as a glossary of medicinal and botanical terms.This book may point the way to plants from which new and effective cures might be obtained.

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