Monanchocidin (1), a guanidine alkaloid with an unprecedented skeleton system derived from a polyketide precursor, (ω-3)-hydroxy fatty acid, and containing a 2-aminoethyl- and 3-aminopropyl-substituted morpholine hemiketal ring, has been isolated from the sponge Monanhora pulchra. The structure of 1 was assigned on the basis of detailed analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectra, mass spectrometry, and results of chemical transformations. Compound 1 shows pro-apoptotic and cytoxic activities.

Varacin [1] and three new antimicrobial marine polysulfides, varacins A-C [3-5], have been isolated from the Far Eastern ascidian Polycitor sp. Their structures have been elucidated by spectroscopic methods and by chemical transformations.

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New unusual polycyclic guanidine alkaloids monanchocidins B-E (2-5) along with monanchocidin A (1), which we recently described, were isolated from the Far-Eastern marine sponge Monanchora pulchra. Their structures were established using spectroscopic data and chemical transformations. Compounds 1-5 show potent cytotoxic activities against HL-60 human leukemia cells with IC50 values of 540, 200, 110, 830, and 650 nM, respectively.

Rhizochalins C and D ( 1, 2), new representatives of two-headed glycosphingolipids, were isolated from the sponge Rhizochalina incrustata. Rhizochalin D is an unexpected C 29 homologue of the canonical C 28 dimeric sphingolipid structures. Their structures including absolute configurations were established using spectroscopic data, micromolar-scale Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, and LCMS interpretation of the products. Application of the latter method leads to a revision of the structure of oceanapiside and placement of the keto group at C-18 rather than C-11.

A new pentacyclic guanidine alkaloid, monanchomycalin C (1), along with the earlier known ptilomycalin A (2), were isolated from the Far-Eastern marine sponge Monanchora pulchra. The structure of 1 was elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric data. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxic activities against human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells with IC 50 values of 8.2 µM and 4.3 µM, respectively.

The new triterpene glycoside cucumarioside G2 [1] has been isolated from the sea cucumber Eupentacta fraudatrix. Glycoside 1 is the first triterpene glycoside with the 23,24,25,26,27-pentanorlanostane type of aglycone. Its structure has been established by chemical transformations as well as 13C- and 1H-nmr, eims, and liquid sims studies.

[reaction: see text] The novel antifungal compound oceanalin A, an unprecedented "hybrid sphingolipid", was isolated from the marine sponge Oceanapia sp. The structure was elucidated using NMR and MS spectral analysis and chemical degradation. Oceanalin A exhibits in vitro antifungal activity against Candida glabrata with an MIC of 30 mug/mL.