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Chemical investigation on the roots and rhizomes of Nardostachys chinensis Batal led to the isolation of twenty-one sesquiterpenoids with various carbocyclic skeletons including three eudesmane-type (1-2, 4), nine nardosinane-type (3, 5-12), and nine aristolane-type sesquiterprenoids (13-21). The structures of the new compounds 1 and 3, and the new natural product 2 were established by extensive spectroscopic analysis, and their absolute configurations were established by computational electronic circular dichroism (ECD) method. Nitric oxide (NO) is one of the most important inflammatory modulators in many inflammatory diseases. Thus, inhibitory effects of compounds 1-21 on NO production were investigated in lipopolysaccaride (LPS)-mediated RAW 264.7 cells, and compounds 13-15 displayed NO inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 2.67, 2.79, 9.87 μM, respectively. Moreover, a further study revealed that compound 13 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity via suppression of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-23.

Phytochemical investigation on the fermentation broth of the fungus Stereum hirsutum led to the isolation of ten steroids, including two previously unreported ones, namely steresterones A (1) and B (2). The semi-synthesis products 3a and 3b were prepared by reduction of the known compound 3 with NaBH4. Their structures and absolute configurations were established via 1D & 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, and TDDFT/ECD calculations as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The structure of 3 which harbored a 5β-H was confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis for the first time. All the compounds reported in this study were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines. Bioassay results revealed that 3, 4, 6―9 displayed significant anti-proliferative effects with IC50 values varying from 2.3 to 34.3 μM. The structure-activity relationships of 3, 3a, 3b were discussed.

Three previously undescribed cyathane-type diterpenoids, hericinoids A-C (1‒3) and three known analogues (4‒6) have been isolated from fermentation broth of Hericium erinaceus. Their structures of hericinoids A-C were determined by in-depth analyses of NMR spectra and HRESIMS. The absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 2 were determined by the ROESY spectra along with the DP4+ calculations based on quantum chemistry. Compounds 1–5 were inactive on the enhancement of NGF-induced neutrite outgrowth in PC-12 cells. Instead, compounds 2, 4, and 5 showed potent cytotoxicity against HL-60 cell lines with the IC50 values of 18.3, 8.9, and 0.5 μM, respectively. Compounds 4 and 5 showed moderate cytotoxicities against MCF-7 cell lines with the IC50 values ranging from 13.4 to 15.8 μM.

Two new pyridine derivatives climacomontaninates A–B (1–2), and a new sesquiterpenoid derivative climacomontanetate (3), together with twelve known compounds (4–15) were isolated from the culture extract of the fungal strain Climacocystis montana from the root bark of Paeonia ostii. The structures of these compounds were determined through spectroscopic methods such as NMR and HRMS. Moreover, we expound the absolute configuration of 1 using the organic synthesis method. The cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines of new compounds were evaluated by SRB assay.

Betulactones A (1) and B (2) were isolated from the cultures of basidiomycete Lenzites betulinus. Betulactone A (1) was a novel highly oxygenated rigid spiro-g-lactone with the 5/5/6 ring system rarely found in fungal sources while betulactone B (2) was a highly degraded sterol. These structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and computational ECD analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for their inhibitory activity of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) 1B in vitro. (C) 2017 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Five new tremulane sesquiterpenes (1-5), together with seven known ones (6-12), were isolated from cultures of the fungus Phellinus igniarius. The new compounds were established as 6 beta, 11,12-trihydroxytremul- 1(10)-ene (1), 11,12-dihydroxyl-7 beta-peroxy-hydroxyl-tremul-1(10)-ene (2), 6 beta, 12-dihydroxytremulene (3), 10 beta, 12-dihydroxy-tremulene (4), and 12,15-dihydroxy-tremulene (5) on the basis of their MS and NMR data. Compounds 1-6 were evaluated for their vascular-relaxing activities. In preliminary in vitro assays, at 3 x 10(-4) M, they showed vascular-relaxing activities against phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction with relaxing rates of 29.9%, 39.9%, 48.5%, 78.7%, 32.3%, and 59.3%, respectively. In addition, compounds 1, 4, and 6 exhibited different levels of vascular-relaxing activities against KCl-induced vasoconstriction with relaxing rates of 31.3%, 57.7%, and 14.0%, as compared with the blank control. (C) 2014 Phytochemical Society of Europe. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.