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Hamacanthin A [1] and hamacanthin B [2] are two bioactive dihydropyrazinonediylbis (indole) alkaloids isolated from a new species of deep-water marine sponge, Hamacantha sp. The hamacanthins are growth inhibitors of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Isolation and structure elucidation of 1 and 2 by nmr spectroscopy are described.

Several interesting biologically ac-tive bis indole alkaloids have been re-ported from marine organisms over the past few years. The examples reported from sponges include the antitumor and antiviral active topsentins from Topsentia genitrix (1), Spongosorites spp.(2, 3), and Hexadella sp.(4), which have a ketone and imidazole moiety between the two indole