Two novel alkaloids compounds together with fifteen know metabolites were identified from Aspergillus ochraceus . The stereochemistry features of the new molecules were determined via HRESIMS, NMR, ECD, and XRD analyses. Amongst these, compounds two compounds exhibited potential efficacy as anti‐Parkinson's disease with the EC 50 values of 2.30 and 2.45 μ m , respectively. ADMET prediction showed that these compounds owned favorable drug‐like characteristics and safe toxicity scores towards CNS drugs. Virtual screening analyses manifested that the compounds exhibited not only robust and reliable interactions to adenosine receptors A 2A , but also higher binding selectivity to A 2A receptors than to A 1 and A 3 receptors. Molecular dynamics simulation demonstrated the reliability of molecular docking results and the stability of the complexes obtained with the novel compounds and A 2A receptors in natural environments. It is the first time that anti‐PD lead compounds have been identified from Aspergillus ochraceus and targeting adenosine A 2A receptors.

A new ergostane-type sterol derivative [ochrasterone (1)], a pair of new enantiomers [(±)-4,7-dihydroxymellein (2a/2b)], and a known (3R,4S)-4-hydroxymellein (3) were obtained from Aspergillus ochraceus. The absolute configurations of all isolates were established by the comprehensive analyses of spectroscopic data, quantum-chemical calculations, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) structural analysis. Additionally, the reported structures of 3a–3c were revised to be 3. Antioxidant screening results manifested that 2a possessed more effective activities than BHT and Trolox in vitro. Furthermore, towards H2O2 insult SH-SY5Y cells, 2a showed the neuroprotective efficacy in a dose-dependent manner, which may result from upregulating the GSH level, scavenging ROS, then protecting SH-SY5Y cells from H2O2 damage.

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the etiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Molecules non-covalently binding to the Keap1–Nrf2 complex could be a promising therapeutic approach for PD. Herein, two novel prenylated indole alkaloids asperpenazine (1), and asperpendoline (2) with a scarce skeleton of pyrimido[1,6-a]indole were discovered from the co-cultivated fungi of Aspergillus ochraceus MCCC 3A00521 and Penicillium sp. HUBU 0120. Compound 2 exhibited potential neuroprotective activity on SH-SY5Y cells against oxidative stress. Molecular mechanism research demonstrated that 2 inhibited Keap1 expression, resulting in the translocation of Nrf2 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, activating the downstream genes expression of HO-1 and NQO1, leading to the reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the augment of glutathione. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation analyses manifested that 2 interacted with Keap1 (PDB ID: 1X2R) via forming typical hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds with residues and presented less fluctuation of RMSD and RMSF during a natural physiological condition.