Dihydroberkleasmin A: a new eremophilane sesquiterpenoid from the fermentation broth of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis photiniae

Antimicrobial properties of unusual eremophilanes from the endophytic Diaporthe sp. BCC69512

Six undescribed infrequent eremophilane derivatives including diaportheremopholins A - F and its previously undescribed side chain (E)-2-methyloct-2-enoic acid, together with three known compounds (testacein, xestodecalactones B and C), were isolated from the endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. BCC69512. The chemical structures were determined based on NMR spectroscopic information in conjunction with the evidence from NOESY spectrum, Mosher's application, and chemical reactions for corroborating the absolute configurations. The isolated compounds were evaluated for biological properties such as antimalarial, anti-TB, anti-phytopathogenic fungal, antibacterial activities and for cytotoxicity against malignant (MCF-7 and NCI-H187) and non-malignant (Vero) cells. Diaportheremopholins B (2) and E (5) possessed broad antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Bacillus cereus, Alternaria brassicicola and Colletotrichum acutatum with MICs in a range of 25.0-50.0 μg/mL. Testacein (7) exhibited strong anti-A. brassicicola and anti-C. acutatum activities with equal MIC values of 3.13 μg/mL. Moreover, diaportheremopholin F (6) and compound 8 displayed antitubercular activity with equal MIC values of 50.0 μg/mL. All tested compounds were non-cytotoxic against MCF-7, NCI-H187, and Vero cells, except those compounds 2 and 5-7 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against both malignant and non-malignant cells with IC50 values in a range of 15.5-115.5 μM.

Pestalotiopsis Diversity: Species, Dispositions, Secondary Metabolites, and Bioactivities

Pestalotiopsis species have gained attention thanks to their structurally complex and biologically active secondary metabolites. In past decades, several new secondary metabolites were isolated and identified. Their bioactivities were tested, including anticancer, antifungal, antibacterial, and nematicidal activity. Since the previous review published in 2014, new secondary metabolites were isolated and identified from Pestalotiopsis species and unidentified strains. This review gathered published articles from 2014 to 2021 and focused on 239 new secondary metabolites and their bioactivities. To date, 384 Pestalotiopsis species have been discovered in diverse ecological habitats, with the majority of them unstudied. Some may contain secondary metabolites with unique bioactivities that might benefit pharmacology.

Bioactive terpenoids derived from plant endophytic fungi: An updated review (2011-2020)

Plant endophytes have been considered as novel sources of naturally occurring compounds with various biological activities, including cytotoxic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, herbicides, antileishmanial and antioxidant. A variety of specialised products, comprising terpenoids, alkaloids, polyketides, phenolic compounds, coumarins, and quinone derivatives have been reported from various strains. An increasing number of products, especially terpenoids, are being isolated from endophytes. Herein, the isolated new terpenoids from plant endophytic fungi, their hosts, as well as biological activities, from January 2011 until the end of 2020 are reviewed. In this period, 516 terpenoids are classified into monoterpenes (5), sesquiterpenes (299), diterpenes (76), sesterterpens (22), meroterpenes (83), triterpenes (29), and other terpenoids (2), were isolated from different plant endophytic fungi species.

Eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes from fungi and their medicinal potential

Eremophilanes are sesquiterpenes with a rearranged carbon skeleton formed both by plants and fungi, however, almost no plant eremophilanes are found in fungi. These eremophilanes possess mainly phytotoxic, antimicrobial, anticancer and immunomodulatory properties and in this review fungal eremophilanes with bioactivities of potential medicinal applications are reviewed and discussed. A special focus is set on natural products bearing highly functionalized fatty acids at C-1 or C-3 position of the eremophilane backbone. Many of these fatty acids seem to contribute to the bioactivity of the metabolites enhancing the activity of the sesquiterpene moieties. Several approaches for optimization of these natural products for clinical needs and testing of the resulting derivatives are presented and discussed. The combination of identification of bioactive natural products with their subsequent improvement using a variety of genetical or chemical tools and the pharmacokinetic assessment of the products is presented here as a promising approach to new drugs.

Two new compounds from the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis versicolor

A new coumarin, 4,6-dihydroxy-7-formyl-3-methylcoumarin (1), and an α-pyrone derivative, 6-[(7S,8R)-8-propyloxiran-1-yl]-4-methoxy-pyran-2-one (2), together with four known α-pyrone derivatives (3-6), were isolated from the broth extract of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis versicolor. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison of the chemical shift values with those of related known compounds.

New spiral γ-lactone enantiomers from the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis foedan

(−)-(4S, 8S)-Foedanolide (1a) and (+)-(4R, 8R)-foedanolide (1b), a pair of new spiro-γ-lactone enantiomers, were isolated from the fermentation broth of the plant endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis foedan by HPLC using a chiral column, achieving over 7% ee. Their structures and absolute configurations were determined on the basis of extensive analysis of NMR spectra combined with computational methods via calculation of the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and optical rotation (OR). Compounds 1a and 1b showed moderate activities against HeLa, A-549, U-251, HepG2 and MCF-7 tumor cell lines.

Two new oxysporone derivatives from the fermentation broth of the endophytic plant fungus Pestalotiopsis karstenii isolated from stems of Camellia sasanqua

Two new oxysporone derivatives, pestalrone A (1) and pestalrone B (2), along with two known structurally related compounds 3, 4, were from the fermentation broth of the endophytic plant fungus Pestalotiopsis karstenii isolated from stems of Camellia sasanqua. Their structures and relative configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison of chemical shifts with related known compounds. Compound 2 exhibited significant activities agains HeLa, HepG2 and U-251 with IC₅₀ values of 12.6, 31.7 and 5.4 µg/mL, respectively.