Novel bioactive bromopyrrole alkaloids from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa

The Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa has been investigated for its alkaloid composition and has been found to produce a complex mixture of bromopyrrole alkaloids. Along with the previously isolated compounds 5-18, four novel alkaloids of this class, Compounds 1-4, have been isolated, and their Structures established through spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1-4 were found to display neuroprotective activity against the agonists scrotonin and glutamate in vitro. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.