| Summary: | Gorgonian octocorals are considered a prolific source of secondary metabolites with a wide range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory activity. In particular, the genus <i>Briareum</i> is known for producing a wealth of diterpenes with complex chemical structures. The chemical study of the methanolic extract of <i>Briareum asbestinum</i> collected in Bocas del Toro, on the Caribbean side of Panama, led to the isolation of three new eunicellin-type diterpenes: briarellin T (<b>1</b>), asbestinin 27 (<b>2</b>), asbestinin 28 (<b>3</b>) and the previously described asbestinin 17 (<b>4</b>). The structures of the new compounds were determined by extensive NMR analyses and HRMS. Anti-inflammatory activity assays showed a significant reduction of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β and IL-8 as well as a downregulation of COX-2 expression in LPS-stimulated THP-1 macrophages. These findings support the potential use of these marine compounds as therapeutic agents in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
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