Pentacyclic hemiacetal sterol with antifouling and cytotoxic activities from the soft coral Nephthea sp.

A novel unusual pentacyclic hemiacetal sterol nephthoacetal (1), was isolated from soft coral Nephthea sp. The structure of this sterol was inferred from its two acetyl derivatives (2) and (3), by means of spectroscopic methods, and quantum chemical calculations. Anti-fouling activity of compounds 1-3 against Bugula neritina larvae was evaluated, sterol (1) exhibited significant inhibitory effect with EC(50) value of 2.5 µg/mL, while having low toxicity with LC(50)>25.0 µg/mL. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of compounds 1-3 against HeLa cells was also evaluated, all of them exhibited moderate cytotoxicity with IC(50) values of 12.3 (1), 10.1 (2), and 19.6 µg/mL (3), respectively.