New fatty acids from the Red Sea sponge Mycale euplectellioides

Area of Science:

• Marine Natural Products Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Marine organisms, particularly sponges, are a rich source of novel bioactive compounds.
• Mycale euplectellioides from the Red Sea is an underexplored species with potential for yielding unique chemical entities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize new chemical constituents from the Red Sea sponge Mycale euplectellioides.
• To evaluate the biological activities of the sponge extract and isolated compounds, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, hepato-protective, and anti-cancer effects.

Main Methods:

• Chemical investigation using spectroscopic data interpretation (NMR, MS) to elucidate structures.
• In vitro assays to assess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and cytotoxic activities.
• In vivo models for evaluating hepato-protective effects against carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage.

Main Results:

• Two new compounds, hexacosa-(6Z,10Z)-dienoic acid methyl ester (1) and hexacosa-(6Z,10Z)-dienoic acid (2), were identified alongside known compounds.
• The total methanol extract (TME) showed potent antimicrobial activity and significant anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and hepato-protective effects.
• Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited weak cytotoxic activity against non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma, and prostate cancer cell lines.

Conclusions:

• Mycale euplectellioides is a promising source of bioactive natural products with diverse pharmacological potential.
• The isolated compounds and the sponge extract warrant further investigation for therapeutic applications.
• This study expands the chemical knowledge of Red Sea sponges and their potential medicinal value.