Acanthovagasteroids A-D, four new 19-hydroxylated steroids from the South China Sea gorgonian Acanthogorgia vagae Aurivillius.

Four new steroids, acanthovagasteroids A-D (1-4), along with two known analogues (5, 6), were isolated from the gorgonian Acanthogorgia vagae Aurivillius from the South China Sea. The structures of the new compounds, characterized with 19-hydroxy groups, were identified on the basis of extensive spectral analysis as well as by comparison with literature data. This is the first report of 19-hydroxy steroids from a gorgonian and suggests a possible biosynthetic relationship between 19-nor and 19-hydroxy steroids.