Isoprenyl phenolic ethers from the termite nest-derived medicinal fungus Xylaria fimbriata.

Seven new isoprenyl phenolic ethers, namely fimbriethers A‒G (1‒7), were isolated from the fermented broth of the termite nest-derived medicinal fungus Xylaria fimbriata YMJ491. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic data analysis and compared with those reported. The effects of all the isolates at a concentration of 100 μM on the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine macrophage RAW 264.

Identification of 7-(4'-Cyanophenyl)indoline-1-benzenesulfonamide as a mitotic inhibitor to induce apoptotic cell death and inhibit autophagy in human colorectal cancer cells.

Targeting cellular mitosis in tumor cells is an attractive cancer treatment strategy. Here, we report that B220, a synthetic benzenesulfonamide compound, could represent a new mitotic inhibitor for the treatment of colorectal cancer. We examined the action mechanism of B220 in the colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cell line, and found that treatment of cells with B220 caused cells to accumulate in G2/M phase, with a concomitant induction of the mitotic phase markers, MPM2 and cyclin B1.

Meroterpenoids from a Medicinal Fungus Antrodia cinnamomea.

Antrodia cinnamomea, a medicinal fungus indigenous to Taiwan, has been shown to exhibit a broad spectrum of bioactivities for the treatments of alcoholic intoxication, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fatigue, and a number of active principles have been identified. Among the bioactive entities, clinical trials of antroquinonol and 4-acetyl antroquinonol B are being carried out for curing cancer, hypercholesterolemia, and hyperlipidemia. The total synthesis of antroquinonol has been achieved; however, investigating the structure-activity relationship of this class of compounds remained difficult due to the lack of available analogues.

Identification of the orsellinic acid synthase PKS63787 for the biosynthesis of antroquinonols in Antrodia cinnamomea.

Antrodia cinnamomea, an endemic basidiomycete used as a health food in Taiwan, is known to synthesize antroquinonols, which were reported to have notable medicinal potential in oncology and immunology. However, the biosynthetic pathway of these compounds is currently unclear. Our previous study showed that a pks63787 knockout mutant of A.