New antifeedant triterpene glycosides from the Caribbean sponge Erylus formosus.

Two groups of antifeedant triterpene glycosides were identified from the Caribbean sponge Erylus formosus. The structure of formoside B, a novel N-acetyl amino derivative of the known penasterol tetrasaccharide formoside, was elucidated using NMR and mass spectral data. Four triterpene hexasaccharides and two triterpene trisaccharides, characterized by a 31-carbon aglycone, proved difficult to isolate and therefore only the structure of their aglycone was determined. Gas chromatographic analysis of derivatized saccharides from these mixtures established the carbohydrate content of these compounds. All of the triterpene glycosides isolated contributed to the chemical defenses of this sponge, although with differing activities.