New Record of Pseudodistoma arborescens Millar, 1967a (Tunicata, Ascidiacea) in the Red Sea with Some Notes on the Cytotoxic Activity of the Alkaloid Content on MCF-7 Cell Lines

Abstract

The ascidian, Pseudodistomaarborescens, is reported for the first time in the Saudi Arabian water of the Red Sea. It is found to be an important component of the coral reefs at a water depth of 6-13 meter of Janabiyat Island, Doga area (19° 46́ 09.14́ N, 40° 34́ 16.33́E) in December 2014. The species is redescribed and briefly its cytotoxic activity was tested. The anti-proliferative activity of the alkaloid content of Pseudodistoma arborescens has been evaluated against the MCF-7 cell line; showed IC 50 value of 0.70 ± 0.01 mg/L.