Variation in the alkaloids among indo-pacific Leucetta sponges

J Nat Prod. 2003 Feb;66(2):177-82. doi: 10.1021/np020371o.

Abstract

Nine different Indo-Pacific collections of calcareous Leucetta sp. sponges were investigated for variation in their alkaloid constituents. These alkaloids consisted of 2-amino imidazoles such as dorimidazole A (1) and a polyunsaturated fatty amino alcohol (PUFAA), leucettamol A (3). The nine Leucetta species were divided into five different groups based on taxonomy. Significantly, six specimens contained leucettamol A (3), while the other three contained imidazoles, and these two classes of alkaloids did not occur in the same sponge sample. We recently found a Fijian Leucetta sponge that was a source of spirocyclopentimidazolidins, including spirocalcaridine A (4). We now show that another Fijian collection affords three amino imidazoles consisting of the known alkaloid naamine A (6) plus two new structures, N,N-dimethyl naamine D (5) and leucettamine C (7).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / chemistry
  • Alkaloids / isolation & purification*
  • Animals
  • Fatty Alcohols / chemistry
  • Fatty Alcohols / isolation & purification
  • Fiji
  • Imidazoles / chemistry
  • Imidazoles / isolation & purification*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Porifera / chemistry*

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Fatty Alcohols
  • Imidazoles