No abstract

Phomoxanthones A (1) and B (2), two novel xanthone dimers, were isolated from the endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. BCC 1323. Structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. These compounds exhibited significant in vitro antimalarial and antitubercular activities and cytotoxicity.

Aigialomycins A-E (2-6), new 14-membered resorcylic macrolides, were isolated together with a known hypothemycin (1) from the mangrove fungus, Aigialus parvus BCC 5311. Structures of these compounds, including absolute configuration, were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, chemical conversions, and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Hypothemycin and aigialomycin D (5) exhibited in vitro antimalarial activity with IC(50) values of 2.2 and 6.6 microg/mL, respectively, while other analogues were inactive. Cytotoxicities of these compounds were also evaluated.

The reduced binding of pyrimethamine to Ser108Asn (S108N) mutants of parasite dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which forms the basis of resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to pyrimethamine, is largely due to steric constraint imposed by the bulky side chain of N108 on Cl of the 5-p-Cl-phenyl group. This and other S108 mutants with bulky side chains all showed reduced binding to pyrimethamine and cycloguanil. Less effect on binding to some bulky mutants was observed for trimethoprim, with greater flexibility for the 5-substituent. S108N DHFR also binds poorly with other pyrimethamine derivatives with bulky groups in place of the p-Cl, and the binding was generally progressively poorer for the double (C59R+S108N) mutant. Removal of the p-Cl or replacement with m-Cl led to better binding with the mutant DHFRs. Pyrimethamine analogues with unbranched hydrophobic 6-substituents showed generally good binding with the mutant DHFRs. A number of compounds were identified with high affinities for both wild-type and mutant DHFRs, with very low to no affinity to human DHFR. Some of these compounds show good antimalarial activities against pyrimethamine-resistant P. falciparum containing the mutant DHFRs with low cytotoxicity to three mammalian cell lines.