Eunicidiol, an Anti-inflammatory Dilophol Diterpene from Eunicea fusca

A new dilophol diterpene, eunicidiol (1), has been isolated from the crude extract of Eunicea fusca, a gorgonian coral collected from Hillsboro Ledge, Florida. This compound was purified, along with fuscol (2) and eunicol (3), using a combination of normal- and reversed-phase chromatography methods. The structure of eunicidiol (1) was elucidated by ID and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, and the absolute configuration was assigned using Mosher's method. The anti-inflammatory activity of 1-3 was evaluated by measuring their ability to reduce phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-induced edema in a mouse ear model. Topical application of a 100 mu g/ear dose of diterpenes 1-3 significantly reduced edema by 44%, 46%, and 54%, respectively. This activity was superior to indomethacin, a known anti-inflammatory used as a control.