Secondary Metabolites of the Soft Coral Lobophytum pauciflorum

Abstract

Secondary metabolites, derivatives of primary metabolites, are known for their biological activities. Marine organisms, especially marine invertebrates such as sponges, tunicates, soft corals, bryozoans, and nudibranchs are important source of secondary metabolites with diverse biological properties. Approximately 40,000 marine natural products have been identified from various marine resources. Soft corals are a group of invertebrates known for their production of a vast range of metabolites with great structural diversity. Among 39 genera of soft coral Alcyonacean, a total of eighteen different species of Lobophytum soft corals have been identified. Isolation of secondary metabolites from the genus Lobophytum is tremendously explored by researchers worldwide. This review compiles several secondary metabolites that have been isolated and published on the soft coral L. pauciflorum, including the compound structures and some notable bioactivity.