[Studies on the chemical constituents of the alga Sargassum carpophyllum J. Agardh].

The alga Sargassum carpophyllum J. Agardh collected from the South China Sea was immersed in 95% ethyl alcohol. The combined extract was partitioned between ethyl acetate and water. The ethyl acetate phase was subjected to pressure-reduced chromatography over Silica H, eluted with a step gradient of EtOAc in petroleum ether. Two main fractions of sterols (I) and fatty acids (II) were obtained. The composition of I and II were identified by GC/MS. The fraction Ia was obtained, as a main composition of I, by repeated flash chromatography. On the basis of spectroscopic analysis, Ia was identified to be fucosterol.