Major constituents of the predominant endophytic fungi from the Nigerian plants Bryophyllum pinnatum, Morinda lucida and Jathropha gossypiifolia

Abstract

In a chemical screening of fungal strains endophytic to Nigerian plants, Diaporthe phaseolorum, the endophyte of Bryophyllum pinnatum, gave cytochalasin D and (3R,4R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-tetralone, Neurospora discreta from Morinda lucida yielded multiforisin I and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, while Aspergillus japonicus from Jatropha gossypiifolia gave (+)-eupenoxide and microsphaerone C, a new 4-pyridone derivative. When tested for cytotoxic activity, cytochalasin D displayed strong activity towards the mouse lymphoma cell line L5178Y, while the remaining compounds, except 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, were found to be moderately active.