(+/-)-GELLIUSINE-A AND (+/-)-GELLIUSINE-B, 2 DIASTEREOMERIC BROMINATED TRIS-INDOLE ALKALOIDS FROM A DEEP-WATER NEW CALEDONIAN MARINE SPONGE (GELLIUS OR ORINA SP)

Two new diastereomeric brominated tris-indole alkaloids occurring as enantiomeric pairs, (+/-)-gelliusines A [1] and B [2], have been isolated from a deep water New Caledonian sponge (Gellius or Orina sp.), whose crude extract exhibited cytotoxicity against KB cells. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including one- and two-dimensional nmr spectroscopy. The major compound, (+/-) gelliusine A [1], which showed very weak cytotoxicity, proved to be active at the serotonin receptor.