A formerly unpublicized briarane diterpenoid, briastecholide M (1), and its established analogue, brianodin B (2), were purified from Briareum stechei, an octocoral collected from Okinawan waters. Using spectroscopic methods, the structure of 1 was established. Functional study showed that 1 can reducing the release of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) but enhancing cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression.
Keywords: Briareum stechei; brianodin; briarane; briastecholide; cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2); inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).