Three New Xanthones from the FungusPenicilliumsp. NH-7-1

A Review of the Chemistry and Biological Activities of Natural Colorants, Dyes, and Pigments: Challenges, and Opportunities for Food, Cosmetics, and Pharmaceutical Application

Natural pigments are important sources for the screening of bioactive lead compounds. This article reviewed the chemistry and therapeutic potentials of over 570 colored molecules from plants, fungi, bacteria, insects, algae, and marine sources. Moreover, related biological activities, advanced extraction, and identification approaches were reviewed. A variety of biological activities, including cytotoxicity against cancer cells, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, anti-microbial, antiviral, and anti-protozoal activities, have been reported for different pigments. Considering their structural backbone, they were classified as naphthoquinones, carotenoids, flavonoids, xanthones, anthocyanins, benzotropolones, alkaloids, terpenoids, isoprenoids, and non-isoprenoids. Alkaloid pigments were mostly isolated from bacteria and marine sources, while flavonoids were mostly found in plants and mushrooms. Colored quinones and xanthones were mostly extracted from plants and fungi, while colored polyketides and terpenoids are often found in marine sources and fungi. Carotenoids are mostly distributed among bacteria, followed by fungi and plants. The pigments isolated from insects have different structures, but among them, carotenoids and quinone/xanthone are the most important. Considering good manufacturing practices, the current permitted natural colorants are: Carotenoids (canthaxanthin, β-carotene, β-apo-8'-carotenal, annatto, astaxanthin) and their sources, lycopene, anthocyanins, betanin, chlorophyllins, spirulina extract, carmine and cochineal extract, henna, riboflavin, pyrogallol, logwood extract, guaiazulene, turmeric, and soy leghemoglobin.

Xanthones and benzophenones isolated from the endophytic fungus Penicillium sp. ct-28 of Corydlis tomentella and their cytotoxic activity

One new xanthone, griseophenexanthone A (1), one new benzophenone, digriseophene A (2), and 14 previously reported compounds were isolated from the culture of Penicillium sp. ct-28, an endophytic fungus of Corydlis tomentella. The structures of the isolated compounds were identified by an extensive analysis of HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR. MTT assay showed that six xanthones (1 and 3-7) significantly inhibited cell proliferation in four cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 18.12 ± 2.42 to 85.55 ± 7.66 μM. Our results showed that slight structural changes led to obvious activity differences among these compounds. We also investigated the effects of the six xanthones on cell cycle and apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Compound 7 caused cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, compounds 5 and 6 caused cell cycle arrest at S phase, whereas compounds 1, 3 and 4 had no effects on cell cycle distribution. All six xanthones induced apoptosis in dose-dependent manners in HepG2 cells accompanied by degradation of PARP and activation of caspase 3. The structure-activity relationship analysis revealed that the effects of these xanthones on cell cycle and apoptosis in HepG2 cells were closely related to the substituent groups on their skeleton. Our studies provide novel insights for the structural optimization of xanthones in the development of new anticancer drugs.

Rapid identification model based on decision tree algorithm coupling with 1H NMR and feature analysis by UHPLC-QTOFMS spectrometry for sandalwood

Sandalwood is one of the most valuable woods in the world. However, today's counterfeits are widespread, it is difficult to distinguish authenticity. In this paper, similar genus (Dalbergia and Pterocarpus) and confused species (Gluta sp.) of sandalwood were quickly and efficiently identified. Rapid identification model based on ¹H NMR and decision tree (DT) algorithm was firstly developed for the identification of sandalwood, and the accuracy was improved by introducing the AdaBoost algorithm. The accuracy of the final model was above 95%. And the feature components between different species of sandalwood were further explored using UHPLC-QTOFMS and NMR spectrometry. The results showed that 183 compounds were identified, among which 99 were known components, 84 were unknown components. The ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR signals of 505 samples were assigned, among them, 14 compounds were attributed, characteristic chemical shift intervals with great differences in the model were analysed. Furthermore, the fragmentation pattern of different compounds from sandalwood, in both positive and negative ion ESI modes, was summarized. The results showed a potential and rapid tool based on DT, NMR spectroscopy and UHPLC-QTOFMS, which had performed great potential for rapid identification and feature analysis of sandalwood.

DP4-Assisted Structure Elucidation of Isodemethylchodatin, a New Norlichexanthone Derivative Meager in H-Atoms, from the Lichen Parmotrema tsavoense

A phytochemical investigation of the foliose lichen Parmotrema tsavoense (Krog and Swinscow) Krog and Swinscow (Parmeliaceae) resulted in the isolation of a new trichlorinated xanthone, isodemethylchodatin. The structure elucidation of this new norlichexanthone derivative proved tricky owing to proton deficiency, and to the lack of NMR data of closely related analogues. The structure of this compound was determined based on an integrated interpretation of ¹³C-NMR chemical shifts, MS spectra, and DP4-based computational chemistry was also performed to provide an independent and unambiguous validation of the determined structure. Isodemethylchodatin represents the first chlorinated lichexanthone/norlichexanthone derivative bearing a methoxy group at C-5.

Fermentative Production of Phenolic Glucosides by Escherichia coli with an Engineered Glucosyltransferase from Rhodiola sachalinensis

Three rosmarinic acid analogs produced by recombinant Escherichia coli, two xanthones from fungi and honokiol from plants, were explored as the substrates of E. coli harboring a glucosyltransferase mutant UGT73B6^FS to generate phenolic glucosides. Six new and two known compounds were isolated from the fermentation broth of the recombinant strain of the feeding experiments, and the compounds were identified by spectroscopy. The biotransformation of rosmarinic acid analogs and xanthones into corresponding glucosides was presented for the first time. This study not only demonstrated the substrate flexibility of the glucosyltransferase mutant UGT73B6^FS toward aromatic alcohols but also provided an effective and economical method to produce phenolic glucosides by fermentation circumventing the use of expensive precursor UDP-glucose.

Halogenated Compounds from Directed Fermentation of Penicillium concentricum, an Endophytic Fungus of the Liverwort Trichocolea tomentella

One new chlorinated xanthone, 6-chloro-3,8-dihydroxy-1-methylxanthone (1), a new 2-bromo-gentisyl alcohol (2), and a mixture of 6-epimers of 6-dehydroxy-6-bromogabosine C (3a and 3b), together with 19 previously identified compounds, epoxydon (4), norlichexanthone (5), 2-chlorogentisyl alcohol (6), hydroxychlorogentisyl quinone (7), 6-dehydroxy-6α-chlorogabosine C (8a), 6-dehydroxy-6β-chlorogabosine C (8b), gentisyl alcohol (9), gentisyl quinone (10), (R,S)-1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol (11), dehydrodechlorogriseofulvin (12), dechlorogriseofulvin (13), dehydrogriseofulvin (14), griseofulvin (15), ethylene glycol benzoate (16), alternariol (17), griseoxanthone C (18), drimiopsin H (19), griseophenone C (20), and griseophenone B (21), were isolated from cultures of Penicillium concentricum, a fungal endophyte of the liverwort Trichocolea tomentella. The structures of the new compounds (1, 2, 3a, and 3b) were elucidated by interpretation of spectroscopic data including one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques. Among these, compounds 2-4 displayed modest cytotoxicity to the MCF-7 hormone-dependent breast cancer cell line with IC₅₀ values of 8.4, 9.7, and 5.7 μM, respectively, whereas compound 9 exhibited selective cytotoxicity against the HT-29 colon cancer cell line with an IC₅₀ value of 6.4 μM. During this study we confirmed that the brominated gentisyl alcohol (2) was formed by chemical conversion of 4 during bromide salt addition to culture media.

Lanostane-Type Triterpenoids from Scilla scilloides and Structure Revision of Drimiopsin D

Two hitherto unknown lanostane-type triterpenoids, namely scillascillol (1) and scillascillone (2), and a hitherto unknown norlanostane-triterpene glycoside, namely scillascilloside B-1 (3), were isolated from the ethanol extract of the whole plants of Scilla scilloides. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic studies. In addition, the structure of drimiopsin D (6a) has been revised as 2,5-dimethoxy-8-methyl-1,3,6-trihydroxyxanthone (6) by reanalysis of the spectroscopic data.