Abstract:
The gorgonian Muricea sp. contains two new degraded pregnanes, muricenones A (1) and B (2), whose structures have been defined by spectroscopic analysis. The uncommon carbon framework of muricenones may be biosynthetically derived by oxidative cleavage and loss of one carbon atom of the A-ring of the steroidal nucleus. The new compounds, I and 2, isolated from Muricea sp., selectively inhibit the growth of the A-549 human lung carcinoma cell line. ((C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2002).