Cortistatins
Encyclopedia
The cortistatins are a group of steroid
Steroid
A steroid is a type of organic compound that contains a characteristic arrangement of four cycloalkane rings that are joined to each other. Examples of steroids include the dietary fat cholesterol, the sex hormones estradiol and testosterone, and the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone.The core...

al alkaloid
Alkaloid
Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...

s first isolated in 2006 from the marine sponge Corticium simplex. The cortistatins inhibit proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) with high selectivity, with cortistatin A being the most potent compound in the class.

The unique chemical structure and potent biological activity of these compounds have stimulated interest in their total synthesis
Total synthesis
In organic chemistry, a total synthesis is, in principle, the complete chemical synthesis of complex organic molecules from simpler pieces, usually without the aid of biological processes. In practice, these simpler pieces are commercially available in bulk and semi-bulk quantities, and are often...

and further biological evaluation.
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