title: Bioactivity of amphitoxin, the major constituent of the Jamaican sponge Amphimedon compressa.
abstract: Fractionation of the MeOH/CH2Cl2 extract of the sponge Amphimedon compressa afforded the secondary metabolite amphitoxin (1), the structure of which was elucidated by interpretation of 1H- and 13C-NMR data. The crude extract and the fractions containing the metabolite 1 were assessed for ichthyotoxic and insecticidal activity towards Xiphophorus variatus (moon fish) and Cylas formicarius elegantulus (sweet potato weevil), respectively. In addition, the ability of 1 to cause mortality (toxicity and lethal effect) in the rodent Rattus norvegicus (Norway rat) was examined. Moderate insecticidal activity was observed, while the toxicity towards the moon fish was evidenced by the high mortality rates for all the fractions tested. In contrast, the rodent was not affected by the metabolite.
authors: The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica, West Indies.
authors: Monique N
authors: MN
authors: Thompson
authors: Winklet A
authors: WA
authors: Gallimore
authors: Martin M
authors: MM
authors: Townsend
authors: Nadia A
authors: NA
authors: Chambers
authors: Lawrence A D
authors: LA
authors: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005399:Fishes; D007306:Insecticides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D007563:Jamaica; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry*; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D048889:Weevils / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D011726:Pyridinium Compounds; C094708:amphitoxin