Search for Cytotoxic Substances from Marine Sponges

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Marine sponges (100 specimens) collected from various places along the Pacific coasts of Japan were tested for inhibition in the starfish egg assay. A total of 31 specimens, including 20 fat soluble and 23 water soluble fractions, were active, among which 6 sponges were found to be promising in P388 or L1210 leukemia test.From two sponges which were active in the starfish egg assay, four active compounds have been isolated and their structures elucidated. Okinonellins A (1) and B (2) were isolated from a sponge of the genus Fasciospongia which was collected in Uwa Sea. Both compounds inhibited cell division of fertilized starfish eggs at 5 g/ml by affecting actin polymerization. Two sesterterpenes named spongionellin (3) and dehydrospongionellin (4) which inhibited development of starfish embryos at 2 g/ml have been isolated from Spongionella sp. collected in the Izu Peninsula.