New bioactive mono-acyl glycerol ester from the Red Sea marine coral <i>Sclerophytum levi</i>

The chemical examination of the soft coral <i>Sclerophytum levi</i> collected from the Red Sea led to isolation and structurally elucidation of a new mono- acyl glycerol ester, [(2<i>R</i>)-2,3-dihydroxypropyl] (2<i>R</i>)-2-hydroxypentadecanoate <b>(1)</b>, along with myristyl palmitate <b>(2)</b>, (Z)-2-(9-octadecenyloxy) ethanol <b>(3)</b>, 24-methylene cholesterol (<b>4</b>) and 23-demethylgorgosterol <b>(5)</b>. The chemical composition of the isolated metabolites was determined <i>via</i> optimised spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR analyses. The new mono alkyl glycerate (m-AG) showed moderate antimicrobial activity against <i>Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Candida albicans</i> microbial strains using agar well diffusion method and recorded a weak <i>in vitro</i> cytotoxic and antioxidant activities.