STEROL COMPOSITION OF 3 MARINE SPONGE SPECIES FROM THE GENUS CINACHYRELLA

1. The hitherto undescribed sterol compositions of three marine sponge species belonging to the genus Cinachyrella are reported: C. alloclada and C kukenthali from the Senegalese coast, at two different depths, and C. aff. schulzei from the lagoon of Noumea, New Caledonia. 2. Fourteen free sterols have been identified by GC and GC/MS studies, including the 23,24xi-dimethyl-cholesta-5,22-dien-3beta-ol (10) and the rare 24-norcholesta-5,22-dien-3beta-ol (1). 3. The first compound (10) is reported for the second time in a marine sponge and it was found only in Senegalese sponges collected in shallow waters. 4. Sterol (10) has been isolated by HPLC and identified by NMR techniques 5. Significant amounts of cholest-7-en-3beta-ol (7) were also found in the Senegalese sponge species. 6. Apart from these two compounds, the three sponge sterol compositions are found to be very similar.