BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Due to high cancer incidence rate and become resistant to chemical drugs and their side effects make it necessary to research on new natural compounds. Sea pen with special chemical compounds with anti-cancer effects have been considered in recent years. In this study, extraction of chemical compounds from marine sea pen Virgularia gustaviana and their effect on cancer cells were investigated.

METHODS: In this study the ethyl acetate extract of Virgularia gustaviana was separated by silica gel column chromatography. The column was washed with N-hexane 100% and N-hexane-ethyl acetate solvent at ratio of 9:1 to 1:9. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for qualitative identification of seven fractions. Viability of HeLa cancer cells was investigated using MTT assay at the concentration of 25, 50 and a 100 µl/ml compounds.

FINDINGS: MTT assay showed that G fraction, dose-dependently decreased cell viability of cells and the most effective concentration was 100 µl (with viability 6.33±2.02% of cancer cells) which was significantly less than control group (p<0.05). Retention time of G fraction in HPLC graph was similar to Cembrane Diterpene isolated from Sarcophyton. 

CONCLUSION: The results of the studyshowed that compounds extracted from Virgularia gustaviana inhibit the growth of cancer cells and further research will be required to examine the mechanism of effect