Jaspines A and B: two new cytotoxic sphingosine derivatives from the marine sponge Jaspis sp.

The ethanolic extract of the sponge Jaspis sp. collected in Vanuatu showed cytotoxicity against KB tumour cells (IC95=10 μg/ml). A bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation of two new cytotoxic sphingosine derivatives, jaspine A and jaspine B. Structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, and absolute configuration by chemical derivatisation. The cytotoxicity of jaspine B hydrochloride was evaluated against the A549 lung tumour cell line (IC50=3.4×10−7 M).