Endophytic fungi associated with Sudanese medicinal plants show cytotoxic and antibiotic potential.

In this study, we isolated 15 endophytic fungi from five Sudanese medicinal plants. Each fungal endophytic strain was identified by sequencing of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA. Ethyl acetate extracts were prepared from each endophyte cultivated in vitro and tested for their respective antibacterial activities and antiproliferative activities against human cancer cells.

HLE-inhibitory alkaloids with a polyketide skeleton from the marine-derived fungus Coniothyrium cereale.

The marine endophytic fungus Coniothyrium cereale produces the structurally unusual polyketide-type alkaloids (-)-cereolactam (1) and (-)-cereoaldomine (3), incorporating a lactam and an imine functionality, respectively, as well as the related metabolite (-)-trypethelone (2). Compounds 1 and 3 showed selective inhibition of human leukocyte elastase with IC50 values of 9.28 and 3.

Mode of action of epoxyphomalins A and B and characterization of related metabolites from the marine-derived fungus Paraconiothyrium sp.

Epoxyphomalins A (1) and B (2) are highly potent cytotoxic fungal metabolites. During the course of purifying larger quantities of 1 and 2 from Paraconiothyrium sp. fermentation extracts, three new epoxyphomalins (3-5) were isolated and characterized, showing modifications to the oxidation pattern of the cyclohexene moiety or of C-9 of the decalin system.

Epoxyphomalin A and B, prenylated polyketides with potent cytotoxicity from the marine-derived fungus Phoma sp.

Chemical investigation of a strain of the marine-derived fungus Phoma sp. has led to the discovery of epoxyphomalin A (1) and B (2), two new prenylated polyketides with unusual structural features. Epoxyphomalin A (1) showed superior cytotoxicity at nanomolar concentrations toward 12 of a panel of 36 human tumor cell lines.