Work

A molecular networking-guided strategy for identifying anti-osteoporotic sterols from the soft coral Sclerophytum humesi

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: )-33-norgorgost-5-en-3-ol (9), and ergost-5-en-3-ol (10). Parallel investigation of SH-E7 yielded a second previously undescribed compound (2), structurally related to 1. Evaluation of compounds 1-10 in MG-63 cells revealed that sterols 5-10 enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity to varying degrees, whereas compounds 1-4 exhibited relatively weak or negligible effects. These findings indicate that the osteogenic activity of SH-E3 is primarily associated with its sterol-enriched chemical profile. Collectively, this study demonstrates the utility of integrating molecular networking with biological activity for the efficient prioritization of bioactive constituents from chemically complex marine extracts and highlights soft-coral-derived sterols as promising candidates for further investigation of their potential roles in glucocorticoid-induced bone loss.

Source: RSC Advances

DOI: 10.1039/d6ra08640c