A New Dihydroagarofuranoid Sesquiterpene from Microtropis fokienensis with Antituberculosis Activity

Abstract

A new dihydroagarofuran-based sesquiterpene, 8-acetoxymutangin (1), was isolated from the stems of Microtropis fokienensis, together with eight known compounds, including mutangin (2). Their structures were determined through in-depth spectroscopic and mass-spectrometric analyses. Among the isolated compounds, 1 exhibited potent in vitro antituberculosis activity, with an MIC value of 10.0 microg/ml against Mycobacterium tuberculosis 90-221387, which is considerably better than that of mutangin (2). The activity of 1 lies in the same range as that of the clinic drug ethambutol (MIC 6.25 microg/ml), despite completely different chemical structures, which indicates different modes of action.

Natural sesquiterpenoids

“…259 Studies on the chemical and biological activity of dihydrob-agarofuran derivatives over the past 16 years have been reviewed. 260 Several sesquiterpenes of this type have been obtained during 2007 from Celastrus angulatus, 261 Celastrus paniculatus, 262 Celastrus rosthornianus, 263 Microtropis fokienensis, 264,265 Tripterygium hypoglaucum 266 and Tripterygium wilfordii. 267 A review of the medicinal chemistry and pharmacology of the genus Tripterygium has appeared.…”

Antimycobacterial Butanolides from the Root of Lindera akoensis

“…However, the chemical constituents and biological activities of this endemic species of L. akoensis have never been examined. Recently, over 1000 Formosan plants have been screened for in vitro antimycobacterial activities [21] [22], and L. akoensis has been found to be one of the active species.…”

Orthoquinone and Naphthalenone Derivatives from Berrya ammonilla and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity

“…The full assignment of the 1 H and 13 C-NMR resonances was confirmed by 1 H-1 H COSY, NOESY (l " Table 1), DEPT, HSQC, and HMBC (l " Table 1) techniques. Additionally, compound [14] and (+)-epipinoresinol (7) [15], a coumarin, scopoletin (8) [16], three benzenoids, tetracosyl ferulate (9) [17], syringaldehyde (10) [3], and ficusol (11) [18], two triterpenoids, betulinic acid (12) [19] and squalene (13) [20], a steroid, β-sitosterol (14) [21], and a mixture of fatty alcohols, 1-tetracosanol (15) [22] and 1-hexacosanol (16) [22].…”