Biological activities of steroids and extracts from xestospongia sp. growing in southeast Sulawesi (Indonesia)

Xestospongia sp. is one of marine sponge that can be found in Southeast Sulawesi. It belongs to Demospongiae classes which have shown many pharmacological activities such as antioxidant. Thus, this study aimed to identify isolates from Xestospongia sp. and its activity as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Isolation were carried out by chromatography technique including Thin Layer Chromatrography (TLC), vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) and radial chromatography (RC) with silica gel as an adsorbent. Structure of isolated compounds were determined by spectroscopy methods i.e. FTIR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR and also by comparison with those reported values. Biological activity of Xestospongia sp was also evaluated using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radicals and Human Red Blood Cell (HRBC) methods. Four compounds isolated and identified from methanol extract of Xestospongia sp. were steroids that are (1) purchrasterol, (2) xestosterol, (3) saringosterol, and (4) 5a,8a-epidioxy-24a-ethylcholest-6-en-3p-ol. The extract and the compounds showed antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals in which the extract was stronger than the isolated compounds. Furthermore, the Xestospongia sp. extract exhibited a dose-dependant anti-inflammatory activity by stabilizing red blood cell membranes at concentrations ranging from 50 to 3200 ppm. In conclusion, Xestospongia sp. extract which contain sterol compounds, such as purchrasterol, xestosterol, saringosterol and 5a,8a-epidioxy-24a-ethylcholest-6-en-3p-ol provides antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.