ISOLATION OF α, β–DEHYDROCURVULARIN FROM ASPERGILLUS AUREOFULGENS

Abstract

α,β–Dehydrocurvularin (α,β–DC), 4,5,6,7–tetrahydro–11 ,13–dihydroxy–4–methyl–2H–3–benzoxacyclododecin–2,10(1H)-dione, was obtained by us as main constituent from Aspergillus aureofulgens¹ in small quantities (16 mgll of culture broth). The compound shows the properties of α,β–DC described by other Authors [2, 3, 4]. This is the first time that α,β–DC was found as a metabolite of an Aspergillus species.

Previously α,β–DC was isolated from Curvularia lunata [2], subsequently from Alternaria cucumarina and Stemphylium radicinum [3, 4].

Antibiotic activity: α,β–DC shows a weak activity (MIC 40 μg/ml) [5] against Gram–positive and Gram–negative bacteria (e.g. Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli). Such an activity was not mentioned in previous works.