Terpenoids with neurotrophic and anti-neuroinflammatory activities from the cultures of the fungus Cyathus stercoreus

Abstract

Three new cyathane diterpenoids named stercorins A–C (1–3), including one with unusual 4,9-seco-carbon skeleton, together with two new drimane sesquiterpenoids named stercorins D (4) and E (5) were isolated from the liquid cultures of the basidiomycete Cyathus stercoreus. Their structures were established by 1D and 2D NMR data in conjunction with HR-ESI-MS. All three cyathane diterpenoids showed neurotrophic activity in PC-12 cells at concentrations of 10 µM. Compounds 1–3 significantly suppressed LPS-induced NO production in culture medium in BV2 cells with the IC₅₀ values of 1.64 μM, 9.25 μM and 8.71 μM, respectively. Notably, Compound 1, possessing an uncommon medium-sized 9/7 ring system showed the most promising role in the prevention of two activities-associated neurodegenerative diseases.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Cyathane diterpenoid
• drimane sesquiterpenoid
• neurotrophic activity
• neurodegenerative diseases

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (81502938, 21572182, 31800031), and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2452016094).