Phytochrmistry, 1975, Vol. 14, pp. 1579-1582..pdfVIP

PergamonPress. Printed Phytochrmistry, 1975, Vol. 14, pp. 1579-1582. in England STEROLS OF SOME RED ALGAE* ERNRSTO FATTORUSSO, SIIVANA MAGNO, CIRO SANTACROCE and DONATO SICA Istituto di Chimica Organica dell’Universit8 di Napoli, Napoli, Italia and GIUSEPPE IMPELLIZZERI, SEBASTIANO MANGIAFICO, GIOVANNA ORIENE, MARIO PIATTELLIand SEBASTIANO SCIUTO Istituto di Chimica Organica dell’Universit8 di Catania, Catania, Italia (Receiued 15 November 1974) Key Word Index-Rhodophyta; red algae; sterols; cholesterol; desmosterol; 22-dehydrocholesterol; liagosterol; cholesta-5,23-diene-38, 25-diol. Abstract-The sterol composition of 17 red algae has been determined. Only C-27 sterols have been found in substantial amounts; details of the structural elucidation of liagosterol (cholesta-5,23- diene-3#$25-diol) are given. The possible taxonomic significance of the sterol distribution is briefly discussed. INTRODUCTION tent of 17 macroscopic marine species belonging The major sterols of red algae are C-27 com- to the division Rhodophyta, class Florideophy- pounds. Cholesterol predominates, but in several ceae. Amino acids and low MW carbohydrates species desmosterol has been also detected [l- of the same algae have been also analyzed and lo], while the rare 22-dehydrocholesterol is pres- the results reported in the preceding paper. ent in relatively large amounts only in Hypnea H. muscijbrmis japonica [11] and [S]. RESULTS In some cases, traces of C-26, C-28 and C-29 sterols have been also found [6,7,12]. However, The unsaponifiable fraction from the CHC13 these results are o