Samples were collected in bulk depending on the abundance of individual organisms and washed with freshwater to remove adhering debris and associated biota. Collected samples were stored in a refrigerated box and transferred to the lab. Further, the sponge samples are labeled properly and stored at −70 °C. The taxonomic identification of the organisms was done using spicules separated using nitric acid digestion following

standard identification keys.5 and 6 For the extraction of crude bioactives, 100 g of powdered material was exhaustively extracted click here with 200 ml of ethyl acetate using Soxhlet apparatus and evaporated under reduced pressure to yield viscous dark gum. The extract was stored at 4 °C in air-tight plastic vials for further studies. Cytotoxicity of extract at various concentrations (15–1000 μg/ml) was assessed for Hep2 and MCF7 using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) but with minor modification, following 72 h of incubation. Assay plates were read

using a spectrophotometer at 520 nm. Data generated were used to plot a dose–response curve of which the concentration of extract required to kill 50% of cell population (IC50) was determined by Cell viability (%) = Mean OD/control OD × 100. Gas chromatograph analysis was carried out on Cilengitide purchase a Shimadzu (QP2010) equipped with a VF-5 ms column (diameter 0.25 mm, length 30.0 m, film thickness 0.25 μm) mass spectrometer (ion source 200 °C; EI −70 eV), programmed at temperature 40–650 °C with a rate of 4 °C/min. Injector flow rate was 200 °C; carrier gas was He 99.9995% purity, column flow rate 1.51 ml/min, injection mode-split. Approximately 10,000 sponges have been described in the world and most of them live in marine waters. A range of bioactive out metabolites has been found in about 11 sponge

genera. Three of these genera (Haliclona, Petrosia and Discodemia) produce powerful anticancer, anti-inflammatory agents, but their cultivation has not been studied. 7 Marine sponge, Theonella spp. which show in vitro cytotoxity and in vivo antitumor activity in many leukemia and solid tumor model systems. 8 and 9 In the present study, the collected sponge sample was identified as Sigmadocia pumila by spicules separated by nitric acid digestion. In the search for bioactive compounds, the extract Sigmadocia pumila were tested for cytotoxic activities. MCF7 and Hep2 cells were treated with extracts at increasing concentrations for 18 h, and the percentage of cell viability was analyzed. The extracts were dissolved in DMSO, and a parallel experiment demonstrated that the final concentration of DMSO in the medium (0.1%) did not produce any impact on MCF7 and Hep2 cell cytotoxicity (data not shown). As revealed in Table 1 the extracts inhibited MCF7 and Hep2 cell growth in a dose-dependent manner.