Marine Drugs, Vol. 15, Pages 212: Sterols from the Octocoral Nephthea columnaris (Marine Drugs)

Two new sterols, columnaristerols B (1) and C (2), along with two known analogues, 5,6-epoxylitosterol (3) and litosterol (4), were obtained from the octocoral Nephthea columnaris. The structures of new sterols 1 and 2 were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods and comparing the spectroscopic data with those of known related metabolites. Sterol 3 was found to suppress superoxide anion production and elastase secretion by human neutrophils.