Nowadays, biofouling is responsible for enormous economic losses in the maritime sector, and its treatment with conventional antifouling paints is causing significant problems to the environment. Biomimetism and green chemistry approaches are very promising research strategies for the discovery of new antifouling compounds. This study focused on the red alga Sphaerococcus coronopifolius, which is known as a producer of bioactive secondary metabolites. Fifteen compounds, including bromosphaerol (1), were tested against key marine biofoulers (five marine bacteria and three microalgae) and two enzymes associated with the adhesion process in macroalgae and invertebrates. Each metabolite presented antifouling activity against at least one organism/enzyme. This investigation also revealed that two compounds, sphaerococcinol A (4) and 14R-hydroxy-13,14-dihydro-sphaerococcinol A (5), were the most potent compounds without toxicity towards oyster larvae used as non-target organisms. These compounds are of high potential as they are active towards key biofoulers and could be produced by a cultivable alga, a fact that is important from the green chemistry point of view.
Keywords: Sphaerococcus coronopifolius; adhesion; antifouling; halogenated diterpenes; marine natural products.