Cytotoxic and antiviral macrolides and cyclopeptides from New Caledonian Lithistida sponges

Sphinxolides A-D and the related macrolides reidispongiolides A and B were isolated from the sponges Neosiphonia superstes and Reidispongia coerulea, resp. The macrolides were potent cytotoxins against several human carcinoma cell lines. Neosiphonia superstes also contained two more unrelated but highly cytotoxic macrolides superstolides A and B. A sponge of the genus Callipelta yielded the cytotoxic cyclopeptides callipeltins A-C which were found to protect cells against infection by the human HIV virus.