Lemnalia africana

Jurek, J. Scheuer, P.J. (1993) Sesquiterpenoids and norsesquiterpenoids from the soft coral Lemnalia africana. J. Nat. Prod., 56, 508-13. 

From the marine sponge Haliclona sp. (also known as Adocia sp.), a family of hexaprenoid hydroquinones called adociasulfates, have been recently reported as inhibitors of kinesin motors [100,101], These types of compounds were also found in several soft corals, such as Lemnalia africana [102], Okinawan soft coral of Nephthea sp. [103], and the gorgonian Alertogorgia sp., which yielded the cytotoxic tricyclic sesquiterpene, suberosenone [104],... 

In addition to the two sinularane derivatives isolated from the marine source Clavularia inflata (see p. 114), the aromadendrane derivative (802) has also been identified in the related species Clavularia koellikeri.137 Another aromadendrane compound is the diol (803) obtained from the plant Senecio nemorensis.314 An X-ray analysis of nardosinone has confirmed its structure as (804).366 The soft coral Lemnalia africana is a rich source of sesquiterpenoids and recent investigations 383 e Trifilieff, Phytochemistry, 1980, 19, 2467. 

Substances with unusual carbon skeletons have been isolated from soft corals of the family Alcyonacea and the closely related Gorgonacea e.g., the sesquiterpenes A. from Lemnalia africana (C Hj O, Mr 222.37, mp. 58-60°C, [alj, -659.5°) and sinularene from Sinularia mayi (C15H24, Mr 204.36, oil, [a]o -142°). 

Bowden, B.F., J.C. Coll, S.J. Mitchell, B.W. Skelton, and A.H. White Studies of Australian Soft Corals. XXII. The Structures of Two Novel Sesquiterpenes and a Nor Sesquiterpene from Lemnalia africana. Confirmed by a Single-Crystal X-Ray Study. Aust. J. Chem. 33, 2737 (1980). 

IzAC, R.R., W. Fenical, B. Tagle, and J. Clardy Neolemnane and Eremophilane Sesquiterpenoids from the Pacific Soft Coral Lemnalia africana. Tetrahedron 37, 2569 (1981). 

Bishara, A., YefFet, D., Sisso, M., Schmul, G., Schleyer, M., Benayahu, Y, Rudi, A., and Kashman, Y. (2008) Nardosinanols A-I and lemnafricanol, sesquiterpenes from several soft corals, Lemnalia sp Parcdemnalia davata, Lemnalia africana, and Rhytisma fulvum fulvum. J. Nat. Prod., 71, 375-380. 

Bowden, B.F., Coll, J.C., Mitchell, S.J., Skelton, B.W., and White, A.H. (1980d) Studies of Australian soft corals. XXII. Stmcture of two novel sesquiterpenes and a norsesquiterpene from Lemnalia africana, confirmed by a single crystal study. Aust. ]. Chem., 33, 2737-2747. 

Tursch, B., Braekman, J.C., Daloze, D., Fritz, P., Kelecom, A., Karlsson, R., and Losman, D. (1974) Chemical studies of marine invertebrates. VIII. Africanol, an unusual sesquiterpene from Lemnalia africana (Coelenterata, Octocorallia, Alcyonacea). Tetrahedron Lett, 15, 747-750. 

Africanol is the first representative of the atypical carbon skeleton of africanane. This alcohol was isolated from the species Lemnalia africana harvested arormd the Isle of Leti (Indonesia), and its structure has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction (Tursch et al., 1974). This carbon skeleton currently seems limited to Alcyonacea and several examples have been isolated from species of the genus Sinularia (S. dissecta and S. intacta) harvested in India (Ramesh et al., 1999 Ramesh, Ravikanth, and Venkateswarlu, 2001 Anja-neyulu, Rao, and Radhika, 1999). 

Izac, R.R., Fenical, W., Xagle, B., and Clardy, J. (1981) Neolenmane and eremophrlane sesqui-terpenoids from the Pacific sof coral Lemnalia africana. Tetrahedron, 37, 2569-2573. 

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