Anti-inflammatory Metabolites from Chaetomium nigricolor .

Twelve metabolites were obtained from the culture media of Chaetomium nigricolor , including a new furan derivative, methyl succinyl Sumiki's acid ( 1 ), and two new atropisomers of the previously reported bis-naphtho-γ-pyrones, (a S )-asperpyrone A and (a S )-fonsecinone A ( 2 and 3 ). The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic, chemical, and chiroptical techniques. Compounds 2 and 3 inhibited nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Compound 2 was found to inhibit nuclear factor-kappa B and c-Jun N-terminal kinase activation, in turn suppressing pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines including nitric oxide, prostaglandin E ₂ , interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, and IL-12.