Part A | 7.3
196 Part A Marine Flora and Fauna
tissue of Zoanthus sp. [7.310]; it was also found to be
a collagen-strengthening function for norzoanthamine.
Parazoanthoxanthin A, a related structure of zoanthoxanthin isolated from the zoanthid Parazoanthus axinellae [7.311] showed anticholinesterase activity [7.312].
Zoanthus sp. was also reported to produce a steroidal
hormone, 2-deoxyecdysterone, which exhibited promising oxytocic activity compared to that of clinical
standards, oxytocin and prostaglandin F 2˛ [7.304].
An alkaloid, antipathine A, together with three
known zoanthoxanthin alkaloids extracted from the
South China Sea black coral Antipathes dichotoma
(zoanthid, family Antipathidae). Two alkaloids showed
moderate cytotoxicity against human stomach carcinoma SGC-7901 cell line with IC 50 of 67:38 and
86:40 g mL
1 , respectively; the other two alkaloids
also showed weak cytotoxicity toward human liver carcinoma Hep_G2 cell line [7.313].
7.3 Potential Pharmaceuticals from Hard Corals
Stony corals (hard coral/scleractinian) have rather been
disregarded as a source of bioactive compounds; this
may be because many secondary metabolites assumedly
function in defense, and the calcareous skeleton of
these animals is supposed to satisfy the defensive
role [7.314]. Growth inhibition of smaller soft corals
by some hard corals revealed the biological role of terpenes in hard corals [7.315].
7.3.1 Family Poritidae
A vasoactive and cardiotonic peptide (12 000 Da) from
Goniopora sp. was reported to prolong action potential
in amphibian and mammalian atria caused by delayed
inactivation of Na
C current, analogous to the mechanism of the action of ATX-II [7.316]. Extracts of
Porites lichen and P. lutea exhibited antifertility at
80 and 100%, respectively (LD 50 > 1000 mg kg
1 in
mice) [7.288]. Aqueous extracts from the Hawaiian
Porites lobata revealed antibacterial activity against
nine bacterial strains [7.317].
7.3.2 Family Dendrophylliidae
A compound, tubastrene, with antiviral activity was
found in the scleractinian Tubasterea aurea [7.318].
Sponge-derived aplysinopsins, with anticancer and antimicrobial properties that were first reported from
Astroides calycularis collected in the Mediterranean
Sea [7.319], were also isolated from the IndoPacific corals, T. aurea and Tubastraea sp., as inhibitors of the development of fertilized sea urchin
eggs [7.320]. The isolation of two cytotoxic macrolides,
mycalolides D and E, was reported from a collection of T. faulkneri [7.321]. The extract of T. faulkneri had previously been found to be cytotoxic in
the antitumor screening of the NCI. Chemical extracts from T. faulkneri were also tested for deleterious effects on competent larvae of 11 other species
of coral belonging to seven genera of four scleractinian families. Larvae exposed to extract concentrations from 10500 mg mL
1 consistently suffered higher mortality than larvae in solvent controls [7.322]. These compounds could, therefore, function as allelochemicals.
7.3.3 Family Milleporidae
A calcium-dependent smooth muscle excitatory effect
was elicited by the venom of the hydrocoral Millepora
complanata [7.183]. The nucleoside 1-methylisoguanosine isolated from some marine animals, including
the coral Madracis mirabilis, showed potent muscle
relaxant, blood pressure lowering, cardiovascular, and
anti-inflammatory activity [7.323, 324].
7.3.4 Family Acroporidae
Extracts from Acropora formosa and A. millepora exhibited weak and strong hemolytic activity, respectively, and were also toxic to mice [7.325]. Acropora corymbosa’s extracts showed 100% antifertility
(LD 50 > 1000 mg kg
1 , in mice). Montipora divaricata
showed spasmolytic activity, LD 50 more than 1000
(mg kg
1 , in mice) [7.288]. Montipora sp. and M. mollis succumbed polyacetylene compounds that exhibited
ichthyotoxicity and inhibited the growth of some bacteria and fungi [7.326]. Six acetylenic compounds of
Montipora sp. exhibited significant cytotoxicity against
a small panel of human solid tumor cell lines, with
Montiporyne A found to induce apoptosis in human
colon tumor cells [7.314, 327]. The Korean Montipora
spp. yielded three diacetylenes, one of which was the
most potent cytotoxin towards a range of tumor cell
lines [7.328]. Antimicrobial activity was found in the
eggs of Montipora digitata [7.329], which had previ-
196 Part A Marine Flora and Fauna
tissue of Zoanthus sp. [7.310]; it was also found to be
a collagen-strengthening function for norzoanthamine.
Parazoanthoxanthin A, a related structure of zoanthoxanthin isolated from the zoanthid Parazoanthus axinellae [7.311] showed anticholinesterase activity [7.312].
Zoanthus sp. was also reported to produce a steroidal
hormone, 2-deoxyecdysterone, which exhibited promising oxytocic activity compared to that of clinical
standards, oxytocin and prostaglandin F 2˛ [7.304].
An alkaloid, antipathine A, together with three
known zoanthoxanthin alkaloids extracted from the
South China Sea black coral Antipathes dichotoma
(zoanthid, family Antipathidae). Two alkaloids showed
moderate cytotoxicity against human stomach carcinoma SGC-7901 cell line with IC 50 of 67:38 and
86:40 g mL
1 , respectively; the other two alkaloids
also showed weak cytotoxicity toward human liver carcinoma Hep_G2 cell line [7.313].
7.3 Potential Pharmaceuticals from Hard Corals
Stony corals (hard coral/scleractinian) have rather been
disregarded as a source of bioactive compounds; this
may be because many secondary metabolites assumedly
function in defense, and the calcareous skeleton of
these animals is supposed to satisfy the defensive
role [7.314]. Growth inhibition of smaller soft corals
by some hard corals revealed the biological role of terpenes in hard corals [7.315].
7.3.1 Family Poritidae
A vasoactive and cardiotonic peptide (12 000 Da) from
Goniopora sp. was reported to prolong action potential
in amphibian and mammalian atria caused by delayed
inactivation of Na
C current, analogous to the mechanism of the action of ATX-II [7.316]. Extracts of
Porites lichen and P. lutea exhibited antifertility at
80 and 100%, respectively (LD 50 > 1000 mg kg
1 in
mice) [7.288]. Aqueous extracts from the Hawaiian
Porites lobata revealed antibacterial activity against
nine bacterial strains [7.317].
7.3.2 Family Dendrophylliidae
A compound, tubastrene, with antiviral activity was
found in the scleractinian Tubasterea aurea [7.318].
Sponge-derived aplysinopsins, with anticancer and antimicrobial properties that were first reported from
Astroides calycularis collected in the Mediterranean
Sea [7.319], were also isolated from the IndoPacific corals, T. aurea and Tubastraea sp., as inhibitors of the development of fertilized sea urchin
eggs [7.320]. The isolation of two cytotoxic macrolides,
mycalolides D and E, was reported from a collection of T. faulkneri [7.321]. The extract of T. faulkneri had previously been found to be cytotoxic in
the antitumor screening of the NCI. Chemical extracts from T. faulkneri were also tested for deleterious effects on competent larvae of 11 other species
of coral belonging to seven genera of four scleractinian families. Larvae exposed to extract concentrations from 10500 mg mL
1 consistently suffered higher mortality than larvae in solvent controls [7.322]. These compounds could, therefore, function as allelochemicals.
7.3.3 Family Milleporidae
A calcium-dependent smooth muscle excitatory effect
was elicited by the venom of the hydrocoral Millepora
complanata [7.183]. The nucleoside 1-methylisoguanosine isolated from some marine animals, including
the coral Madracis mirabilis, showed potent muscle
relaxant, blood pressure lowering, cardiovascular, and
anti-inflammatory activity [7.323, 324].
7.3.4 Family Acroporidae
Extracts from Acropora formosa and A. millepora exhibited weak and strong hemolytic activity, respectively, and were also toxic to mice [7.325]. Acropora corymbosa’s extracts showed 100% antifertility
(LD 50 > 1000 mg kg
1 , in mice). Montipora divaricata
showed spasmolytic activity, LD 50 more than 1000
(mg kg
1 , in mice) [7.288]. Montipora sp. and M. mollis succumbed polyacetylene compounds that exhibited
ichthyotoxicity and inhibited the growth of some bacteria and fungi [7.326]. Six acetylenic compounds of
Montipora sp. exhibited significant cytotoxicity against
a small panel of human solid tumor cell lines, with
Montiporyne A found to induce apoptosis in human
colon tumor cells [7.314, 327]. The Korean Montipora
spp. yielded three diacetylenes, one of which was the
most potent cytotoxin towards a range of tumor cell
lines [7.328]. Antimicrobial activity was found in the
eggs of Montipora digitata [7.329], which had previ-