Gracilioether M (6) and 11,12-dihydrogracilioether M (7), two polyketides with a [2(5H)-furanylidene]ethanoate moiety, along with known plakortone G (9) and its new naturally occurring derivative 9,10-dihydroplakortone G (8), were isolated from the Caribbean marine sponge Plakortis halichondrioides. The structures and absolute configuration of 6, 7, and 8 were characterized by analysis of HRESIMS and NMR spectroscopic data, chemical derivatization, and side-by-side comparisons with published NMR data of related analogs. Compounds 6 and 7 and a mixture of 8 and 9 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. In addition, the in vitro antiplasmodial activity against Plasmodium berghei of these compounds was scrutinized using a drug luminescence assay.
Keywords: Plakortis halichondrioides; gracilioether; marine sponges; polyketide.