A review on bioactive secondary metabolites of soft corals (Octocorallia) and their distribution in Eritrean coast of Red Sea

Abstract

Eritrean coast of Red Sea is an epicenter of diversified marine ecosystem with high endemic biota. Environmental and ecological conditions around wide number of Islands in Eritrean coast of Red Sea are conducive for shelter and nourishment of many marine flora and fauna. Bioactive secondary metabolites have an extensive role in treatment of many diseases both in its natural forms and extensive key components in synthetic biomedicine. Soft corals belong to phylum Cnidaria are soft fleshy marine organisms which are abundantly found in Southern Red Sea. Among the 180 species of soft corals found worldwide, approximately 40 % are indigenous to Red Sea. These soft corals are rich in novel bioactive compounds with potential cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, HIV inhibitory, antibacterial, antitumor and antifungal activity. The most abundant interesting biomedical compounds found in soft corals are steroids, alkaloids, terpenoids, prostaglandins, sterols and steroid glycosides. In the present review different bioactive compounds with novel biomedical applications and abundance of soft corals around Eritrean coast of Red Sea is discussed.