Bioassay-guided fractionation of the MeOH extract from the octocoral Muricea austera collected in the Pacific coast
of Panama led to the isolation of eight compounds, including three tyramine derivatives (1-3), two steroidal pregnane
glycosides (4, 5), and three sesquiterpenoids (6-8). Compounds 2-5 are new natural products, and their structures
were determined on the basis of their spectroscopic data (HRMS, 1D and 2D NMR, and CD studies). The antiprotozoal
activities of the natural compounds 1-8 as well as those of a series of synthetic glycosides (11-22) and tyramine
derivatives (23-35) were evaluated in vitro against a drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum and intracellular form of
Trypanosoma cruzi.