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Meridine [1], a polycyclic alkaloid derived from the marine sponge Corticium sp., was found to inhibit the growthof Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Activity was also observed against Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Epidermophyton floccosum. Studies of the mechanism of action of this agent have shown an inhibition of nucleic acid biosynthesis.

In our search for antifungal agents from marine sources, an extract of the sponge Corticium sp.(Class Demo-spongiae, Order Homosclerophorida, Family Plakinidae) collected at a depth of 450 feet at Great Inagua Island in the Bahamas showed excellent activity against Candida albicans. Bioassay-guided purifi-cation of the active constituent led to the isolation of meridine [1], a compound previously described from theSouth Aus-tralian marine ascidian Amphicarpa meridiana (1). The structure of the com-pound was confirmed as meridine by 13C and'H …