Two new trisulfated triterpene glycosides, liouvillosides A (1) and B (2), have been isolated from the Antarctic sea cucumber Staurocucumis liouvillei. Their structures have been elucidated by spectroscopic analysis (NMR and FABMS) and chemical transformations. Liouvillosides A (1) and B (2) are two new examples of a small number of trisulfated triterpene glycosides from sea cucumbers belonging to the family Cucumariidae. Both glycosides were found to be virucidal against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) at concentrations below 10 microg/mL.

Fifteen illudalane sesquiterpenoids, alcyopterosins A-O (1-15) have been isolated from the subAntarctic soft coral Alcyonium paessleri which was collected at a depth of 200 m near the South Georgia Islands, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques. Eight of these compounds (2, 3, 5-8, 10, and 13) are the first natural nitrate esters, while the other four (1, 4, 11, and 12) are chlorinated. These compounds are as well the first illudalane sesquiterpenoids to be isolated from the marine environment. Compounds 1, 3, 5, and 8 showed mild cytotoxicity toward human tumor cell lines.

As part of the development of an analytical technique for the detection of meridianins and related compounds in biological fluids, a crude extract of the tunicate Aplidium meridianum was analysed using neutral loss tandem mass spectrometry. The 41 u neutral loss-EI(+) mass spectrum showed molecular ions corresponding to two previously undetected alkaloids. We report herein the isolation and structure elucidation of these alkaloids, meridianins F and G.