A chemical investigation of the endophyte Penicillium sp. (strain ZO-R1-1), isolated from roots of
the medicinal plant Zingiber officinale, yielded
nine new indole diterpenoids
(1–9), together with 13 known congeners
(10–22). The structures of the new
compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR analysis in combination
with HRESIMS data. The absolute configuration of the new natural products 1, 3, and 7 was determined using
the TDDFT-ECD approach and confirmed for 1 by single-crystal
X-ray determination through anomalous dispersion. The isolated compounds
were tested for cytotoxicity against L5178Y, A2780, J82, and HEK-293
cell lines. Compound 1 was the most active metabolite
toward L5178Y cells, with an IC50 value of 3.6 μM,
and an IC50 against A2780 cells of 8.7 μM. Interestingly, 1 features a new type of indole diterpenoid scaffold with
a rare 6/5/6/6/6/6/5 heterocyclic system bearing an aromatic ring
C, which is suggested to be important for the cytotoxic activity of
this natural product against L5278Y and A2780 cells.