New antiproliferative epoxysecosterols from Pseudopterogorgia americana

Two new 9(11)-secogorgosterols containing oxirane rings at the C-5/C-6 position (1 and 2) were isolated from Pseudopterogorgia americana along with a known secogorgosterol (3). The structures were elucidated using detailed spectroscopic studies and the epoxysecosteroids were found to exhibit activity against prostate (LnCap) and lung cancer (Calu-3) cell lines.