Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research

A bioassay guided investigation (cancer cell cytotoxicity) of a Moorea producens collection from Key West, Florida, led to the discovery of two novel bioactive natural products [(+)- malyngamide Y and a cyclic depsipeptide, (+)-floridamide]. Their structures were deduced through extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data and supported by HRFAB mass spectrometry. The new cyclic depsipeptide contains four amino acids units, including N-methyl phenylalanine (N-MePhe), proline (Pro), valine (Val) and alanine (Ala), beside the unique unit, 2,2- dimethyl-3-hydroxy-octanoic acid (Dhoaa). In addition to the discovery of these two new compounds, two previously reported metabolites were also isolated and identified from this cyanobacterial collection; (-)-C-12 lyngbic acid and the antibacterial agent (-)-malyngolide.