Didemnins cytotoxic activity

Didemnins were isolated from a Caribbean tunicate Trididemnum solidum. These structurally unique cyclic depsipeptides have quite interesting cytotoxic, antiviral, and immunosuppressive activities. The synthesis of the didemnins A, B, and C (173-175) involves the key component 178, which is prepared from acid 176 and amine 177 using the coupling agent DEPC.69... 

Tunicates (ascidians) are an excellent source of novel biologically active compounds of varied biosynthetic origin, particularly nitrogen-containing amino-acid-derived metabolites [146], The most important compounds discovered to date from tunicates may be the didemnins, potent cytotoxic and antiviral cyclic... 

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