New Anti-Inflammatory 9,11-Secosterols with a Rare Tricyclo[5,2,1,1]decane Ring from a Formosan Gorgonian Pinnigorgia sp.

Pinnigorgiols D (1) and E (2), two new 9,11-secosterols with a rearranged carbon skeleton, were isolated from a Taiwan gorgonian Pinnigorgia sp. The structures of these two compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods and were proven to possess a tricyclo[5,2,1,1]decane ring. The new secosterols 1 and 2 displayed significant inhibitory effects on the generation of superoxide anions and the release of elastase by human neutrophils