Previously undescribed fridooleanenes and oxygenated labdanes from the brown seaweed Sargassum wightii and their protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitory activity.

Previously undescribed fridooleanene triterpenoids 2α-hydroxy-(28,29)-frido-olean-12(13), 21(22)-dien-20-propyl-21-hex-4'(Z)-enoate, 2α-hydroxy-(28,29)-frido-olean-12(13), 21(22)-dien-20-prop-2(E)-en-21-butanoate and oxygenated labdane diterpenoids 2α-hydroxy-8(17), (12E), 14-labdatriene, 3β, 6β, 13α-tri hydroxy 8(17), 12E, 14-labdatriene were purified from the ethyl acetate-methanol and dichloromethane fractions of the air-dried thalli of Sargassum wightii (Sargassaceae), a brown seaweed collected from the Gulf-of-Mannar of Penninsular India. Inhibitory potential of Δ12 oleanenes towards protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B, the critical regulator of insulin-receptor activity were found to be significantly greater (IC50 0.1 × 10-2 and 0.09 × 10-2  mg/mL, respectively) than the standard sodium metavanadate (IC50 0.31 × 10-2  mg/mL). Fridooleanene triterpenoids displayed greater antioxidant activities (IC50DPPH 0.16-0.18 mg/mL) than the commercially available antioxidants, butylated hydroxytoluene and α-tocopherol (IC50DPPH 0.25 and 0.63 mg/mL, respectively). In general, the oxygenated labdane diterpenoids displayed significantly lesser antioxidant and tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitory properties than those exhibited by the fridooleanenes. Bioactivities of the titled compounds were primarily determined by the electronic and lipophilic parameters and not by the steric descriptors. Molecular docking simulations and kinetic studies were employed to describe the tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitory mechanism. The previously undescribed fridooleanene triterpenoids might be used as potential anti-hyperglycaemic pharmacophore leads to reduce the risk of elevated postprandial glucose levels.