In vitro antiplasmodial activity, cytotoxicity and chemical profiles of sponge species of Cuban coasts.

Aqueous and organic fractions from the crude extracts of 17 sponge species collected at Boca de Calderas, Havana, Cuba were analysed. The organic fractions of Mycale laxissima, Clathria echinata and Agelas cerebrum exhibited values of concentrations causing 50% inhibition of in vitro growth of Plasmodium berghei (IC50) of 42.3 ± 5.1, 52 ± 9.7 and 60.3 ± 10.6 μg/mL, respectively, while their selectivity indexes for fibroblast cell lines were 9.45, 4.24 and 8.7, correspondingly. These fractions reduced parasitemia of infected Balb/c mice as well. Selective cytotoxicity indexes against tumour HeLa cells focused an interest on the aqueous fraction of M. laxissima (>7.12) and organic fractions of Polymastia nigra (5.95), A. cerebrum (5.48) and Niphates erecta (>4.2). Triterpenoids/steroids and alkaloids detected in the organic fractions of M. laxissima, C. echinata and A. cerebrum should be isolated for future investigation.