Secondary metabolites from the stem bark of and the seeds of with antibacterial activities.

The methanol stem bark extract of and methanol seed extract of , were subjected to purification using chromatographic techniques. yielded loganic acid (), sweroside () and secoxyloganin (), while afforded , akuammidine (), akuammicine () and alstonine (). The structures of the compounds were elucidated based on their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) profiles and comparison with literature data.

Discovery of novel secondary metabolites from the basidiomycete Lentinus cf. sajor-caju and their inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus biofilms.

Three novel derivatives of microporenic acid, microporenic acids H-J, were identified from submerged cultures of a Lentinus species obtained from a basidiome collected during a field trip in the tropical rainforest in Western Kenya. Their structures were elucidated via HR-ESIMS spectra and 1D/2D NMR spectroscopic analyses, as well as by comparison with known derivatives. Applying biofilm assays based on crystal violet staining and confocal microscopy, two of these compounds, microporenic acids H and I, demonstrated the ability to inhibit biofilm formation of the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus.

and studies reveal antidiabetic properties of arylbenzofurans from the root bark of Stapf.

Diabetes remains an important disease worldwide with about 500 million patients globally. In tropical Africa, is traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes. Biological and phytochemical investigation of the root bark extracts of the plant led to the isolation of a new prenylated arylbenzofuran named 7-(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl)moracin M () and two congeners, moracins P () and M ().

Neurite Outgrowth-Inducing Drimane-Type Sesquiterpenoids Isolated from Cultures of the Polypore MUCL 56355.

Abundisporin A (), together with seven previously undescribed drimane sesquiterpenes named abundisporins B-H (-), were isolated from a polypore, MUCL 56355 (Polyporaceae), collected in Kenya. Chemical structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated based on exhaustive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic measurements and supported by HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of the isolated compounds were determined by using Mosher's method for - and TDDFT-ECD calculations for and -.

Antidermatophytic quinolizidine alkaloids from Calpurnia aurea subsp. aurea (Aiton) Benth.

From the leaves and stem bark of the Kenyan medicinal plant Calpurnia aurea subsp. aurea, four previously undescribed quinolizidine alkaloids namely, 2β-methoxy-13α-O-(2'-pyrrolylcarbonyl) virgiline, 2α-methoxy-13β-O-(2'-pyrrolylcarbonyl) virgiline, 3α-O-angelate-2β-hydroxy-13α-O-(2'-pyrrolylcarbonyl) virgiline, 2,3-dehydro-virgiline were isolated together with four known ones. Structural elucidation of the compounds was based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

Two new lanostanoid glycosides isolated from a Kenyan polypore .

Chemical exploration of solid-state cultures of the polypore afforded two new C31 lanostane-type triterpenoid glycosides, forpiniosides B () and C () together with two known derivatives, namely 3-epipachymic acid () and (3α,25)-3--malonyl-23-oxolanost-8,24(31)-dien-26-oic acid (). The structures of the isolated compounds were established based on HRESIMS and extensive 1D and 2D NMR experiments. All the isolated compounds were assessed for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities.

Hericioic Acids and Hericiofuranoic Acid; Neurotrophic Agents from Cultures of the European Mushroom .

Neurodegenerative diseases are currently posing huge social, economic, and healthcare burdens among the aged populations worldwide with few and only palliative treatment alternatives available. Natural products continue to be a source of a vast array of potent neurotrophic molecules that could be considered as drug design starting points. The present study reports eight new isoindolinone and benzofuranone derivatives, for which we propose the trivial names, hericioic acids (-) and hericiofuranoic acid (), which were isolated from a solid culture (using rice as substrate) of the rare European edible mushroom .

Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Cyathane-Xylosides from Cultures of the Basidiomycete .

In our continued search for biologically active metabolites from cultures of rare Basidiomycota species, we found eight previously undescribed cyathane-xylosides from submerged cultures of , which were named dentifragilins A-H. In addition, the known cyathane derivatives striatal D and laxitextine A were isolated. All compounds were characterized by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESIMS) as well as by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.

Cytotoxic compounds from the leaf of Bersama abyssinica subspecies abyssinica.

From the leaves of Kenyan medicinal plant Bersama abyssinica Subspecies abyssinica, four previously undescribed compounds namely, three bufadienolides, 10β-formylpaulliniogenin B, 10β-formylpaulliniogenin A and 1β-acetoxy-3β,5β-dihydroxy-15-methoxy-16,19-dioxobufa-14(15),20,22-trienolide, and a phenolic compound 2,6,4'-trihydroxybenzophenone-4-O-(6‴-cinnamoyl)-β-D-glucoside were isolated together with four known compounds. The structural elucidation of the compounds was based on 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HRMS data analyses. The relative configurations were defined by NOESY correlations.

Sesquiterpenes from an Eastern African Medicinal Mushroom Belonging to the Genus Sanghuangporus.

During the course of searching for new anti-infective and other biologically active secondary metabolites from Kenyan basidiomycetes, 13 previously undescribed metabolites, (6 R,7 S,10 R)-7,10-epoxy-7,11-dimethyldodec-1-ene-6,11-diol (1) and 12 sesquiterpenes named elgonenes A-L (2-13), and the known compound P-coumaric acid (14) were isolated from a basidiomycete collected in Mount Elgon Natural Reserve. The producing organism represents a new species of the genus Sanghuangporus, which is one of the segregates of the important traditional Asian medicinal mushrooms that were formerly known as the " Inonotus linteus" complex. The structure elucidation of compounds 1-13, based on 2D NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and other spectral methods, and their antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activities are reported.

Monochlorinated calocerins A-D and 9-oxostrobilurin derivatives from the basidiomycete Favolaschia calocera.

Eight previously undescribed compounds were isolated and characterised from the supernatant and mycelium of a culture of the basidiomycete Favolaschia calocera originating from Kakamega equatorial rainforest in Kenya. These were: 9- oxostrobilurins A, G, K and I and the four monochlorinated calocerins A, B, C and D. The calocerins extend our knowledge of halogenated compounds obtained from natural sources.