Bromotryptamine and Imidazole Alkaloids with Anti-inflammatory Activity from the Bryozoan Flustra foliacea

Chemical investigation of the marine bryozoan Flustra foliacea collected in Iceland resulted in isolation of 13 new bromotryptamine alkaloids, flustramines Q-W (1-7) and flustraminols C-H (8-13), and two new imidazole alkaloids, flustrimidazoles A and B (14 and 15), together with 12 previously described compounds (16-27). Their structures were established by detailed spectroscopic analysis using 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS. Structure 2 was verified by calculations of the ¹³C and ¹H NMR chemical shifts using density functional theory. The relative and absolute configurations of the new compounds were elucidated on the basis of coupling constant analysis, NOESY, [α]_D, and ECD spectroscopic data, in addition to chemical derivatization. The compounds were tested for in vitro anti-inflammatory activity using a dendritic cell model. Eight compounds (1, 3, 5, 13, 16, 18, 26, and 27) decreased dendritic cell secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-12p40, and two compounds (4 and 14) increased secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Deformylflustrabromine B (27) showed the most potent anti-inflammatory effect (IC₅₀ 2.9 μM). These results demonstrate that F. foliacea from Iceland expresses a broad range of brominated alkaloids, many without structural precedents. The potent anti-inflammatory activity in vitro of metabolite 27 warrants further investigations into its potential as a lead for inflammation-related diseases.