Aplysinopsin: antineoplastic tryptophan derivative from the marine sponge Verongia spengelii

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the aqueous alcoholic extract of the marine sponge Verongia spengelii for tumor inhibitory agents led to the isolation of aplysinopsin, a new tryptophan derivative recently reported from another sponge Thorecta aplysinopsis. Aplysinopsin showed cytotoxicity against the KB, P388 and L1210 cell cultures.