Abstract
A new ceramid (2S*, 3S*, 4E, 8E)-2N-[hexadecanoyl]-4 (E), 8 (E)-docosadiene-1, 3-diol (1), along with the previously identified one (2S*, 3S*, 4E, 8E)-2N-[tetradecanoyl]-4 (E), 8 (E)-icosadiene-1, 3-diol (2), and the dihydroxy steroid, 24-methyl-cholest-5 (E), 22 (E)-dien-3 beta,7 alpha-diol (3) were identified from the Red Sea black coral Antipathies dichotoma. Extensive spectroscopic data 1D and 2D-NMR, UV, IR and MS were the bases for structure elucidation of all isolated metabolites. The spectral values for compound 3 are reported here for the first time. All compounds have been estimated toward their cytotoxicity, against several cancer cell lines; HepG2, WI 38, VERO and MCF-7. They showed strong to moderate cytotoxic activities. Compounds 1 and 2 displayed strong antiproliferative activities against HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines. 3 displayed almost weak activity towards all investigated cell lines.