THE VALDIVONES, ANTIINFLAMMATORY DITERPENE ESTERS FROM THE SOUTH-AFRICAN SOFT CORAL ALCYONIUM-VALDIVAE

The South African soft coral Alcyonium valdivae contains five diterpene esters, valdivones A (1) and B (2), the corresponding methoxy ketals (3) and (4), and dihydrovaldivone A (5). Although the producing organisms are unrelated taxonomically, the valdivones are most closely related to the sarcodictins (e.g. 6) from the stoloniferan coral Sarcodictyon roseum. Valdivones A (1) and B (2) inhibit chemically-induced inflammation in the mouse ear assay.