Identified functional groups in the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum of the Sinularia sp. methanol extract based on the reference range.
Recorded absorption band (cm–1)
Reference range (cm–1) (from highest to lowest)
Functional group
Compound/Class assignment
3,282.17
3,550–3,200
O–H
Hydroxyl compounds (alcohols, phenols)
2,923.82
3,000–2,850
C–H
Aliphatic methylene (alkanes)
2,852.69
3,000–2,850
C–H
Aliphatic methylene (alkanes)
1,736.17
1,750–1,730
C=O
Carbonyl compounds (esters)
1,636.30
1,680–1,620
C=C
Alkenes stretch vibration
1,378.95
1,470–1,350
C–H
Bending vibration of alkanes
1,105.05
1,150–1,050
C–O
Alcohols, ethers, or ester stretching vibration
1,040.68
1,100–1,000
C–O
Alcohols or ether stretching vibration
613.65
650–600
C–H/C–X
Bending vibration or halo compounds (fingerprint region)
This work is part of Jing Wen Wong’s Marine Science Undergraduate Final Year Project (FYP) Dissertation. We express gratitude to Fatin Amira, Wong Fui Jin, and Nur Harhah Sofia, for assisting in the analysis and sampling.
The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
Ethical approval
Not applicable.
Consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent to publication
Not applicable.
Availability of data and materials
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this manuscript will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation, to any qualified researcher.
Funding
This research was funded by the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea (MABIK) (Grant code: LPA2007). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Open Exploration maintains a neutral stance on jurisdictional claims in published institutional affiliations and maps. All opinions expressed in this article are the personal views of the author(s) and do not represent the stance of the editorial team or the publisher.
References
Andréfouët S, Wantiez L. Characterizing the diversity of coral reef habitats and fish communities found in a UNESCO World Heritage Site: The strategy developed for Lagoons of New Caledonia.Mar Pollut Bull. 2010;61:612–20. [DOI] [PubMed]
Dong M, Yang J, Fu Y, Fu T, Zhao Q, Zhang X, et al. Distribution of Suitable Habitats for Soft Corals (Alcyonacea) Based on Machine Learning.JMSE. 2024;12:242. [DOI]
Hoang Xuan B. Soft coral (Octocorallia, Alcyonacea) diversity and distribution along a latitudinal environmental gradient and the role of their chemical defenses against predatory fish in the Red Sea [dissertation]. Kiel: Christian-Albrechts-Universität Kiel, Kiel; 2014.
Yan X, Liu J, Leng X, Ouyang H. Chemical Diversity and Biological Activity of Secondary Metabolites from Soft Coral Genus Sinularia since 2013.Mar Drugs. 2021;19:335. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
van Ofwegen LP. Status of knowledge of the Indo-Pacific soft coral genus Sinularia May, 1898 (Anthozoa: Octocorallia). Proceedings 9th International Coral Reef Symposium; 2000 Oct 23–27; Bali, Indonesia. 2000.
Sorescu AA, Nuta A, lon RM, lancu L. Qualitative Analysis of Phytochemicals from Sea Buckthorn and Gooseberry. In: Asao T, Asaduzzaman M, editors. Phytochemicals–Source of Antioxidants and Role in Disease Prevention. London: IntechOpen; 2018. pp. 161–77.
Chen W, Li Y, Guo Y. Terpenoids of Sinularia soft corals: chemistry and bioactivity.Acta Pharm Sin B. 2012;2:227–37. [DOI]
Ermolenko EV, Imbs AB, Gloriozova TA, Poroikov VV, Sikorskaya TV, Dembitsky VM. Chemical Diversity of Soft Coral Steroids and Their Pharmacological Activities.Mar Drugs. 2020;18:613. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR. Flavonoids: an overview.J Nutr Sci. 2016;5:e47. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Nguyen NBA, Chen LY, El-Shazly M, Peng BR, Su JH, Wu HC, et al. Towards Sustainable Medicinal Resources through Marine Soft Coral Aquaculture: Insights into the Chemical Diversity and the Biological Potential.Mar Drugs. 2022;20:640. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Vairappan CS. Anti–inflammation, Anti–cancer Mechanism and Microarray Gene Expression of Soft Coral Derived Secondary Metabolites. In: Ibrahim MF, Simarani K, Mohamad SAS, Ibrahim Z, Peng KS, editors. Proceedings of Biotechnology Towards Sustainable Development Goals and Circular Bioeconomy; 2021 Sep 22–23; Serdang, Malaysia. Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia; 2021. pp. 8–11.
Ringgit G, Cheong BE, Shah MD, Siddiquee S. Phenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins in Solanum lasiocarpum from Borneo: In vitro antioxidant activity and phytochemical profiling via LCMS Q-TOF.Food Bioscience. 2024;61:104966. [DOI]
Ringgit G, Cheong BE, Shah MD, Siddiquee S. Phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties of Canarium odontophyllum (Sarawak Olive): A seasonal fruit from Borneo, East Malaysia.Phytomed Plus. 2025;5:100703. [DOI]
Kancherla N, Dhakshinamoothi A, Chitra K, Komaram RB. Preliminary Analysis of Phytoconstituents and Evaluation of Anthelminthic Property of Cayratia auriculata (In Vitro).Maedica (Bucur). 2019;14:350–6. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Nandiyanto ABD, Oktiani R, Ragadhita R. How to Read and Interpret FTIR Spectroscope of Organic Material.IJoST. 2019;4:97. [DOI]
Shah MD, Yong YS, Iqbal M. Phytochemical investigation and free radical scavenging activities of essential oil, methanol extract and methanol fractions of Nephrolepis biserrata.Int J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2014;6:269–77.
Venmathi Maran BA, Palaniveloo K, Mahendran T, Chellappan DK, Tan JK, Yong YS, et al. Antimicrobial Potential of Aqueous Extract of Giant Sword Fern and Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry Analysis.Molecules. 2023;28:6075. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Lee JE, Jayakody JTM, Kim JI, Jeong JW, Choi KM, Kim TS, et al. The Influence of Solvent Choice on the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Asteraceae: A Comparative Review.Foods. 2024;13:3151. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Fauzi FA, Yong YS, Tan JK, Chong ETJ, Ringgit G, Siddiquee S, et al. Elucidation of antioxidant activity and metabolite profiling of the marine soft coral Litophyton sp..Blue Biotechnol. 2026;3:e3. [DOI]
Chan WH, Chong WS, Yong YS, Tan JK, Jiann ECT, Shapawi R, Mazlan N, Khodzori FA and Shah MD. In vitro antioxidant potential of Marine Sponge Clathria Reinwardti.Malays J Biochem Mol Biol. 2026;29:80–92.
Tangon E, Canencia OP, Del Rosario RM, Alivio ER. Antioxidant activity of methanol extracts of Enhalus acoroides and Thalassia hemprichii from the coastal water of Carmen, Agusan Del Norte, Philippines.Int J Biosci. 2020;16:178–84. [DOI]
Kusmita L, Nur Prasetyo Edi A, Dwi Franyoto Y, Mutmainah, Haryanti S, Dwi Retno Nurcahyanti A. Sun protection and antibacterial activities of carotenoids from the soft coral Sinularia sp. symbiotic bacteria from Panjang Island, North Java Sea.Saudi Pharm J. 2023;31:101680. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Dong R, Li W, Wang P, Dong D, Song X, Li X. Effects of light intensity and photoperiod on the cultivation of the soft coral Sarcophyton trocheliophorum.Mar Environ Res. 2022;184:105856. [DOI] [PubMed]
Arunachalam K, Amirtham Jacob Appadorai R. Antioxidant potential and biochemical evaluation of metabolites from the marine bacteria Virgibacillus sp. associated with the sponge Callyspongia diffusa.Free Radic Antioxid. 2013;3:47–51. [DOI]
Hefny Gad M, Tuenter E, El-Sawi N, Younes S, El-Ghadban EM, Demeyer K, et al. Identification of some Bioactive Metabolites in a Fractionated Methanol Extract from Ipomoea aquatica (Aerial Parts) through TLC, HPLC, UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and LC-SPE-NMR Fingerprints Analyses.Phytochem Anal. 2017;29:5–15. [DOI] [PubMed]
Kamel HN, Slattery M. Terpenoids of Sinularia.: Chemistry and Biomedical Applications.Pharm Biol. 2005;43:253–69. [DOI]
Franca MGA, Cavalheiro AJ, Silva MGV. A Comprehensive LC-DAD-QTOF-MS Method for Dereplication of Bioactive Compounds in Senna Extracts.Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2021;31:32–9. [DOI]
Ramírez-Hernández A, Aguilar-Flores C, Aparicio-Saguilán A. Fingerprint analysis of FTIR spectra of polymers containing vinyl acetate.DYNA. 2019;86:198–205. [DOI]
Melese GM, Aychiluhim TB, Yessuf AM, Eshete M. Identification and characterization of phytochemicals in methanolic extract of roots of Datura fastuosa using various techniques.Future J Pharm Sci. 2024;10:e10. [DOI]
Paparella A, Shaltiel-Harpaza L, Ibdah M. β-Ionone: Its Occurrence and Biological Function and Metabolic Engineering.Plants. 2021;10:754. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Proestos C, Komaitis M. Analysis of Naturally Occurring Phenolic Compounds in Aromatic Plants by RP-HPLC Coupled to Diode Array Detector (DAD) and GC-MS after Silylation.Foods. 2013;2:90–9. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Nassar M, Jaffery A, Ibrahim B, Baraka B, Abosheaishaa H. The multidimensional benefits of eicosapentaenoic acid: from heart health to inflammatory control.Egypt J Intern Med. 2023;35:e35. [DOI]
Pan HQ, Feng R, Tan YN, Qin XY, Cao YM, Mao XH, et al. Determination of Puberulic Acid in Monascus-Fermented Red Yeast Rice by LC-MS/MS Combined with Precolumn Derivatization.Toxins. 2024;17:11. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
Zhong B, Robinson NA, Warner RD, Barrow CJ, Dunshea FR, Suleria HAR. LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS Characterization of Seaweed Phenolics and Their Antioxidant Potential.Mar Drugs. 2020;18:331. [DOI] [PubMed] [PMC]
