Sterol composition of two actiniaria

• 1.1. The sterol composition of Condylactis aurantiaca and Cereus pedunculatus (phylum Coelenterata, class Anthozoa, order Actiniaria) was investigated by silver nitrate-silica gel column chromatography, combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and NMR.
• 2.2. Sea anemones contained Δ³-sterols accompanied by small amounts of Δ^5.7-sterols and ring saturated sterols.
• 3.3. Sterols with 27 carbon atoms are predominant and cholesterol is the principal sterol, followed by 24-methylenecholesterol.
• 4.4. A 4-methyl ring saturated sterol, identified as 4,24-dimethyl-5α-cholest-24(28)-en-3β-ol, occurs in small amount in Actiniaria, accompanied by the corresponding 4-demethylstanol.