Phenolic marine natural products as aldose reductase inhibitors

Abstract

Four different types of marine natural compounds isolated from tunicates were found to inhibit human aldose reductase. They all are characterized by a heterocyclic system, and at least two phenolic groups are present in the structure. Two of the compounds tested showed an inhibitory potency 5/6-fold higher than that of the known AR inhibitor sorbinil. One notable structural feature of these active compounds is the lack of either the carboxylic acid or the spiro-hydantoin commonly present in the principal classes of currently used inhibitors.