PURPOSE: To obtain the subject new derivative, such as a scalarane type sesquiterpene, having a strong antitumor action, and useful as an active ingredi ent for carcinostatic medicines, derived from a purified liposoluble extract obtained by extracting a sponge belonging to the genus Hirtios.
CONSTITUTION: New scalarane type sesquiterpene antitumor substances are represented by formulas I, II and III, have strong antitumor actions and are useful as active ingredients for carcinostatic medicines, etc. These compounds are obtained by freezing a sponge: Hirtios erecta, belonging to the genus Hirtios and collected from a sea near Amamiohshima (Japan), grinding the frozen sponge with a blender, extracting the ground product with methanol, filtering the extract with a Celite layer, distilling off the solvent under vacuum, dissolving the residues in ethyl acetate, separating the ethyl acetate layer, distilling off the ethyl acetate under vacuum, distributing the residues with hexane and 90% aqueous methanol, and subsequently fractionating an obtained fraction with antitumor action through silica gel column chromatography.
SUGANO MICHIHIRO
MORISHITA TADAAKI
HATAKE TADASHI
SASAGAWA KAZUHIKO
KOBAYASHI TOMOO
