A Brief Review on New Naturally Occurring Cembranoid Diterpene Derivatives from the Soft Corals of the Genera Sarcophyton, Sinularia, and Lobophytum Since 2016

Abstract

This work reviews the new isolated cembranoid derivatives from species of the genera Sarcophyton, Sinularia, and Lobophytum as well as their biological properties, during 2016–2018. The compilation permitted to conclude that much more new cembranoid diterpenes were found in the soft corals of the genus Sarcophyton than in those belonging to the genera Lobophytum or Sinularia. Beyond the chemical composition, the biological properties were also reviewed, namely anti-microbial against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumoral against several types of cancer cells. In spite of the biological activities detected in almost all samples, there is a remarkable diversity in the results which may be attributed to the chemical variability that needs to be deepened in order to develop new molecules with potential application in medicine.