Toxicity of the marine glycosidic macrolides, polycavernoside E and akunolides, from Okinawan cyanobacterium Okeania sp. in mice.

The toxicity of polycavernoside E and its structurally related macrolides, akunolides A, B, and C, was evaluated in mice. These compounds were recently isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Okeania sp. collected in Okinawa, Japan. The minimal toxicity of polycavernoside E was estimated as 0.81 mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection, whereas those of akunolides A-C were >13 mg/kg. Owing to the considerable toxicity of polycavernoside E, the occurrence of this cyanobacterium should be considered in seaweed production environments.