Mini Review: Extraction Methods, Phytochemical Profile, and Pharmacological Potential of the Marine Sponge Stylissa carteri

Abstract

Stylissa carteri is an Indo-Pacific marine sponge recognized as a prolific source of bioactive secondary metabolites relevant to drug discovery. This mini-review integrates current evidence on extraction strategies, phytochemical diversity, and pharmacological activities reported for this species. Across 12 studies, sample preparation commonly involves freezing, freeze-drying, and pulverization, followed by solvent maceration, predominantly using methanol or ethanol, with polarity-guided fractionation to enrich distinct metabolite classes. Identified constituents include bromopyrrole alkaloids, cyclic peptides, oleanane-type saponins, triterpenes, phenolic diterpenes, fatty acids, ceramides, and cerebrosides, revealing notable geographic and methodological influences on chemical profiles. Biological evaluations demonstrate a broad activity spectrum, including anticancer, antibiofilm, antibacterial, antiviral (anti-HIV), antioxidant, and antiplasmodial effects. Bromopyrrole alkaloids show potent antibiofilm and anti-HIV properties, while cyclic peptides and triterpenes display marked cytotoxicity and antiproliferative action, including effects on drug-resistant cancer cell lines. In addition, metabolites from symbiotic bacteria contribute significant antiplasmodial activity, underscoring the holobiont as a pharmacologically valuable system. Collectively, these findings position S. carteri as a versatile reservoir of marine natural products with multi-target therapeutic potential. Nonetheless, heterogeneity in extraction protocols, limited structural standardization, and insufficient mechanistic studies constrain translational progress. Future investigations should prioritize optimized and reproducible extraction workflows, advanced metabolomic characterization, and targeted pharmacological validation to accelerate the development of S. carteri–derived lead compounds.