New potentiators of amphotericin B activity, shodoamides A to C produced by Pseudophialophora sp. BF-0158.

During our screening program for new potentiators of amphotericin B activity against Candida albicans, shodoamides A to C (1-3) were isolated from a culture broth of the fungus Pseudophialophora sp. BF-0158 fermented under shaking conditions. A known congener named shodoamide D (4) in this paper was obtained from a culture broth of the BF-0158 strain fermented under static conditions.

Pyranonigrin L, a New Antioxidant, Produced by the Hot Spring-derived Fungus Penicillium adametzii BF-0003.

A new antioxidant, designated pyranonigrin L, was isolated from the culture materials of the hot spring-derived fungus Penicillium adainetzii BF0003 by solvent extraction, ODS column chromatography, and HPLC. Its planar structure was elucidated using various analytical techniques including UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopy and MS. Its absolute configuration was determined by a comparison of its circular dichroism (CD) spectrum with those of structurally related compounds.

Simplifungin and Valsafungins, Antifungal Antibiotics of Fungal Origin.

The targets of antifungal antibiotics in clinical use are more limited than those of antibacterial antibiotics. Therefore, new antifungal antibiotics with different mechanisms of action are desired. In the course of our screening for antifungal antibiotics of microbial origins, new antifungal antibiotics, simplifungin (1) and valsafungins A (2) and B (3), were isolated from cultures of the fungal strains Simplicillium minatense FKI-4981 and Valsaceae sp.

Therapeutic effects of three trichothecenes in the silkworm infection assay with Candida albicans.

The silkworm infection assay is a useful method for directly evaluating the in vivo therapeutic effects of drug candidates. In the present study, 3 known trichothecenes, trichodermin, epiisororidin E, and verrucarin A, were evaluated as antifungal agents in the silkworm-Candida albicans assay. Trichodermin and epiisororidin E yielded effective therapeutic effects, while verrucarin A exhibited no efficacy in this assay system.