Acrepyrone A, a new γ-pyrone derivative from an endophytic fungus, Acremonium citrinum SS-g13.

A new γ-pyrone derivative, acrepyrone A (1), and three known sorbicillinoids, trichodimerol (2), dihydrotrichodimerol (3) and tetrahydrotrichodimerol (4) were isolated from an endophytic fungus, Acremonium citrinum SS-g13, harboured in the roots of the Chinese medicinal plant Fructus mori. Their structures were determined by analysing MS, NMR, and ECD data. Compound 1 was evaluated for its cytotoxic effect, antibacterial activity and quorum sensing inhibitory potential.

Fupyrones A and B, two new α-pyrones from an endophytic fungus, Fusarium sp. F20.

Two new α-pyrones, fupyrones A and B (1 and 2) and a biosynthetically related known α-pyrone, 4-methyl-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-2-one (3), were isolated from an endophytic fungus, Fusarium sp. F20, harbored in the stems of the Chinese medicinal plant Mahonia fortunei. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic data including MS and NMR. The antibacterial efficacies of compounds 1-3 were evaluated against four selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and their quorum sensing inhibitory activity was also investigated against the test organism, Chromobacterium violaceum.

Chamiside A, a Cytochalasan with a Tricyclic Core Skeleton from the Endophytic Fungus Chaetomium nigricolor F5.

Chamiside A (1), a novel cytochalasan with a new 6/6/5-fused tricyclic core skeleton, was isolated from an endophytic fungus, Chaetomium nigricolor F5, harbored in the medicinal plant Mahonia fortunei. Its structure was unambiguously determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses, measurement of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism calculation. A biosynthetic pathway for the unique ring system in 1 was proposed. Compound 1 exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

Induced production of steroids by co-cultivation of two endophytes from Mahonia fortunei.

A new ergosterol derivative, 23R-hydroxy-(20Z,24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14),20(22)-tetraen-3-one (1), and a biosynthetically related known compound, (22E,24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (2), were isolated from the co-culture between endophytic fungus Pleosporales sp. F46 and endophytic bacterium Bacillus wiedmannii Com1 both inhibiting in the medicinal plant Mahonia fortunei. The structure of the new compound 1 was determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis using HRMS and NMR, together with the modified Mosher's ester method. This is the first example of isolation of a ergosterol derivative with a Δ20(22)-double bond in the side chain. Compound 1 exhibited moderate antibacterial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and no obvious cytotoxic activities against the cancer cell lines A549, MDA-MB-231 and Hct116. Our results not only reveal that compound 1 is a potent antibacterial lead compound, but also highlight the powder of co-cultivation for inducing the production of cryptic natural products from endophytes derived from the same host plant.

Heptaketides from the endophytic fungus Pleosporales sp. F46 and their antifungal and cytotoxic activities.

Six new heptaketides, pleosporalins A-F (1-5, and 7), and a new heptaketide derivative, pleosporalin G (9), together with four biosynthetically related known compounds (6, 8, 10, and 11), were isolated from an endophytic fungus, Pleosporales sp. F46, found in the medicinal plant Mahonia fortunei. The structures and stereochemistry of these compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses including LC-HRMS, NMR spectroscopy, optical rotations, ECD calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The antifungal activities of isolated compounds 1-11 were investigated against Candida albicans, and their cytotoxic activities were evaluated against A549, SMMC-721, and MDA-MB-231 cancer cell lines. Compound 1 was active against C. albicans with an MIC80 of 128 µg mL-1, and compound 7 showed moderate cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 with an IC50 of 22.4 ± 1.1 µM. By comparing compounds 1 and 7 with structurally related metabolites, it was revealed that alterations to their C-1 or C-2 substitutions could significantly influence their antifungal or cytotoxic efficacies.

[Effects of Xuezhikang on serum levels of high sensitive-C reactive protein, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and lipoprotein in patients with acute coronary syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Xuezhikang (XZK) on serum levels of high sensitivity-C reactive protein (Hs-CRP), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and lipoprotein in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: Sixty-nine ACS patients were divided into the XZK group (40 cases) treated with conventional therapy and XZK and the control group (29 cases) with conventional therapy alone, another 30 healthy persons were assigned as the normal group. Before and after the treatment, the levels of Hs-CRP, MMP-9 and lipids were detected. RESULTS: Compared with those in the normal subjects, Hs-CRP and MMP-9 levels in the ACS patients increased significantly (P <0.05), parallel with the extent of myocardial injury. After 2 weeks of XZK treatment, levels of Hs-CRP and MMP-9 of the XZK group decreased significantly (P <0.05), while lipids levels had no remarkable changes. CONCLUSION: Hs-CRP and MMP-9 levels were closely correlated to the genesis and severity of ACS. Anti-inflammatory action of XZK plays an important role in early stage treatment of ACS patients.