New metabolites with nematicidal and antimicrobial activities from the ascomycete Lachnum papyraceum (Karst.) Karst. VIII. Isolation, structure determination and biological activities of minor metabolites structurally related to mycorrhizin A

Natural products as anthelmintics: safeguarding animal health

Covering literature to December 2022This review provides a comprehensive account of all natural products (500 compounds, including 17 semi-synthetic derivatives) described in the primary literature up to December 2022, reported to be capable of inhibiting the egg hatching, motility, larval development and/or the survival of helminths (i.e., nematodes, flukes and tapeworms). These parasitic worms infect and compromise the health and welfare, productivity and lives of commercial livestock (i.e., sheep, cattle, horses, pigs, poultry and fish), companion animals (i.e., dogs and cats) and other high value, endangered and/or exotic animals. Attention is given to chemical structures, as well as source organisms and anthelmintic properties, including the nature of bioassay target species, in vivo animal hosts, and measures of potency.

Natural Products of Picea Endophytes from the Acadian Forest

Endophytes of healthy needles were collected from Picea rubens (red spruce) and P. mariana (black spruce) in a survey of southeastern New Brunswick, Canada. Four endophyte strains were selected for further investigation based on the production of biologically active extracts from culture filtrates during screening as well as phylogenetic relationship to species known to produce natural products or taxonomic novelty. A novel endophyte within the family Rhytismataceae produced two new dihydropyrones (1 and 2) as major metabolites together with phthalides (3 and 4), isocoumarins (5 and 6), and tyrosol (7). Lachnum cf. pygmaeum synthesized a new chlorinated para-quinone, chloromycorrhizinone A (8), and the nematicidal compounds (1'Z)-dechloromycorrhizin A (9), mycorrhizin A (10), and chloromycorrhizin A (11). A new isocoumarin (12) and four related structures (13-16) were isolated from an undescribed taxon in the Mycosphaerellaceae. The known antifungal metabolites cryptosporiopsin (17), 5-hydroxycryptosporiopsin (18), (+)-cryptosporiopsinol (19), and mellein (20) were produced by Pezicula sporulosa. Phylogenetically diverse conifer endophytes from the Acadian forest continue to be a productive source of new biologically active natural products.

Secondary Metabolites of the Endophytic Fungus Lachnum abnorme from Ardisia cornudentata

Fractionation of an EtOAc-soluble fraction of the solid fermentate of an endophytic fungus, Lachnum abnorme Mont. BCRC 09F0006, derived from the endemic plant, Ardisia cornudentata Mez. (Myrsinaceae), resulted in the isolation of three new chromones, lachnochromonins D–F (1–3), one novel compound, lachabnormic acid (4), along with nine known compounds (5–13). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses. Alternariol-3,9-dimethyl ether (6) was given the correct data as well as 2D spectral analyses for the first time. This is the first report of the isolation of one unprecedented compound 4 from Lachnum genus, while all known compounds were also found for the first time from Lachnum. The effects of some isolates (3, 4, 7–9, 10, and 13) on the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages were also evaluated. Several compounds exhibited weak inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Metabolites from nematophagous fungi and nematicidal natural products from fungi as alternatives for biological control. Part II: metabolites from nematophagous basidiomycetes and non-nematophagous fungi

In this second section of a two-part mini-review article, we introduce 101 further nematicidal and non-nematicidal secondary metabolites biosynthesized by nematophagous basidiomycetes or non-nematophagous ascomycetes and basidiomycetes. Several of these compounds have promising nematicidal activity and deserve further and more detailed analysis. Thermolides A and B, omphalotins, ophiobolins, bursaphelocides A and B, illinitone A, pseudohalonectrins A and B, dichomitin B, and caryopsomycins A–C are excellent candidates or lead compounds for the development of biocontrol strategies for phytopathogenic nematodes. Paraherquamides, clonostachydiol, and nafuredins offer promising leads for the development of formulations against the intestinal nematodes of ruminants.

Three New Chlorinated Cyclopentenols, Palmaenols A and B and Palmaetriol, from the Discomycete Lachnum palmae

The new chlorinated cyclopentenols, palmaenol A (1) and palmaetriol (3), were isolated from the culture broth of the discomycete Lachnum palmae (NBRC-106495). In addition, a new chlorinated cyclopentenol, palmaenol B (2), a geometric isomer of 1, was also obtained from the culture broth containing KCl. The structures of 1–3 were elucidated from spectroscopic data. Compounds 1-3 are cyclopentenols containing three or two chlorines; 1 and 2 are also reduced forms of palmaenones A (4) and B (5), which have been isolated from the same discomycete, respectively. Compounds 4 and 5 had potent antimicrobial activity, while compounds 1–3 showed no such activity. Thus, it is suggested that the unsaturated carbonyl group at C-6 has an important role for the antimicrobial activity.

An efficient method for construction of the angularly fused 6,3,5-tricyclic skeleton of mycorrhizin A and its analogues

The angularly fused 6,3,5-tricyclic system is readily generated via a cascade cyclization under acid promotion. The reaction proceeds at room temperature with high stereochemical fidelity from the electrophilic center of the epoxide to the cyclopropane product. This methodology provides a potentially useful approach for the synthesis of mycorrhizin A and its analogues.

Chromone derivatives from the filamentous fungus Lachnum sp. BCC 2424

Five new chromones, named lachnones A-E (1-5), were isolated from the filamentous fungus Lachnum sp. BCC 2424 along with known (2E,6S)-2,6-dimethyl-2,7-octadiene-1,6-diol. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Lachnones B (2) and D (4) mildly inhibited the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, both with MIC values of 200 microg/mL.

Effect of butyrolactone I on the producing fungus, Aspergillus terreus

Butyrolactone I [alpha-oxo-beta-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-gamma-(p-hydroxy-m-3, 3-dimethylallyl-benzyl)-gamma-methoxycarbonyl-gamma-butyrolactone] is produced as a secondary metabolite by Aspergillus terreus. Because small butyrolactone-containing molecules act as self-regulating factors in some bacteria, the effects of butyrolactone I on the producing organism were studied; specifically, changes in morphology, sporulation, and secondary metabolism were studied. Threefold or greater increases in hyphal branching (with concomitant decreases in the average hyphal growth unit), submerged sporulation, and secondary metabolism were observed when butyrolactone I was added to cultures of A. terreus. Among the secondary metabolites whose production was increased by this treatment was the therapeutically important compound lovastatin. These findings indicate that butyrolactone I induces morphological and sporulation changes in A. terreus and enhances secondary metabolite production in a manner similar to that previously reported for filamentous bacteria.