Natural Products Research on the Tropical Marine Sponges of the Genus Suberea, Ircinia and Psammocinia

Abstract

To establish the knowledge-based foundation for the develoment of tropical marine bioresources secured as the outcome of the project ‘Development of overseas marine bioresources and a system for their utilization’, secondary metabolites contained in tropical marine sponges have been investigated for their chemical structures and biological functions. Especilly in the case of marine sponges of the genus Suberea, Ircinia and Psammocinia collected from the water of Micronesia, the close examination has been carried out to yield the discovery of cytotoxic metbolites such as psammaplysin, irciniastatin and suvanine derivatives. The strucrue elucidation and biological activity evaluation of those compounds will be discussed.ontained in tropical marine sponges have been investigated for their chemical structures and biological functions. Especilly in the case of marine sponges of the genus Suberea, Ircinia and Psammocinia collected from the water of Micronesia, the close examination has been carried out to yield the discovery of cytotoxic metbolites such as psammaplysin, irciniastatin and suvanine derivatives. The strucrue elucidation and biological activity evaluation of those compounds will be discussed.