Eunicidiol, an anti-inflammatory dilophol diterpene from Eunicea fusca.
A new dilophol diterpene, eunicidiol (1), has been isolated from the crude extract of Eunicea fusca, a gorgonian coral collected from Hillsboro Ledge, Florida. This compound was purified, along with fuscol (2) and eunicol (3), using a combination of normal- and reversed-phase chromatography methods. The structure of eunicidiol (1) was elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configuration was assigned using Mosher's method. The anti-inflammatory activity of 1-3 was evaluated by measuring their ability to reduce phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced edema in a mouse ear model. Topical application of a 100 μg/ear dose of diterpenes 1-3 significantly reduced edema by 44%, 46%, and 54%, respectively. This activity was superior to indomethacin, a known anti-inflammatory used as a control.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Atlantic Veterinary College,  University of Prince Edward Island , Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, C1A 4P3, Canada.
Douglas H
DH
Marchbank
Fabrice
F
Berrue
Russell G
RG
Kerr
D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000737:chemistry; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D007213:Indomethacin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D004224:Diterpenes; C575778:eunicidiol; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D007213:Indomethacin