A new cytotoxic ceramide from Heteroxenia ghardaqensis and protective effect of chloroform extract against cadmium toxicity in rats

A new ceramide 2S,3R-4E,8E-2-(hexadecanoylamino)-docosa-4,8-diene-1,3-diol (1), along with two known ceramides, namely, 2S,3R-4E,8E-2-(octadecanoylamino)-octadeca-4,8-diene-1,3-diol (2) and 2S,3R-4E-2-(octadecanoylamino)-octadec-4-ene-1-ol (3) were isolated from the chloroform extract of the Egyptian Red Sea soft coral Heteroxenia ghardaqensis. Additionally, cholesterol, cholesterol-3β-acetate, 7β-hydroxy cholesterol, cosanyl octadecanoate, and hexadecanyl octadecanoate were also isolated. The isolated compounds were identified by spectroscopic methods involving 1D, 2D-NMR and ESI-MS. The ceramides (1) and (2) showed moderate cytotoxic activity as growth inhibitors of human hept-G2 cancer cell lines. The protective action of the chloroform extract on cadmium-induced adrenal toxicity was observed by the decrease of the hydropic degeneration in the cortex and normal medulla.