An inhibitor of the adipogenic differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, yoshinone A, and its analogs, isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp.

Three novel compounds, yoshinones A, B1, and B2, were isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp., and their structures were elucidated by NMR spectral analysis. Yoshinone A, but not yoshinone B1 or B2, inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells into adipocytes. In addition, yoshinone A did not exhibit cytotoxicity, suggesting that yoshinone A may be useful in studies on the treatment of obesity.