Cembranoids from the octocoral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi

Chemical investigation of the octocoral Sarcophyton ehrenbergi led to the isolation of six new cembranoids, (+)-12-carboxy-11Z-sarcophytoxide (1), (+)-12-methoxycarbonyl-11Z-sarcophine (3), ehrenberoxides A-C (4-6), and lobophynin C (2), along with two known compounds, (+)-sarcophytoxide (7) and (+)-sarcophine (8). The structures of these isolated metabolites were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic analyses, while the relative configuration of 1 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analyses. The chemical evidence combined with spectroscopic and physical data suggested that the locations of the epoxide and the methyl carboxylate for lobophynin C should be exchanged. Moreover, metabolites 1-6 were evaluated in vitro for their cytotoxicity against selected cancer and normal cells lines, antiviral activity against human cytomegalovirus, and antibacterial activity against Salmonella enteritidis.