Abstract
The present study describes the in vitro cytotoxic effects of soft coral (Sarcophyton trocheliophorum). Soft corals of genus Sarcophyton were reported to contain compounds that arc active against brine shrimp and promote paclitaxel cytotoxicity in the human colon cancer Caco-2 cell line. The a-hexane extract of the soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum induced significant dose-dependent toxicity (LC50 96.7 ppm) compared with ethyl acetate (LC50 120 ppm). We reported the most active cytotoxic level to be correspondence to LC50 values of 20.2, 59.2 ppm and 18.9 and 26 ppm. Accordingly, bio-assay guided fractionation was conducted to identify the bioactive compounds. Arachidonic acid. eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid were characterized based on GC-MS analyses. Our results demonstrate the value of marine products as a natural source of medicinally interesting cytotoxic compounds.