Fourteen new geranyl phenyl ethers (1-14) along with three known compounds (15-17) were isolated from Illicium micranthum, and their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods. Illimicranins A-H (1-8) were characterized as geranyl vanillin ethers, while 9 and 10 were dimethyl acetal derivatives. Illimicranins I and J (11 and 12) were rare geranyl isoeugenol ethers. Illimicranins K and L (13 and 14) represented the first example of geranyl guaiacylacetone ether and geranyl zingerone ether, respectively. Compounds 1, 2 and 15 exhibited anti-HBV (hepatitis B virus) activity against HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) and HBeAg (hepatitis B e antigen) secretion, and HBV DNA replication.
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology* ; Hepatitis B Surface Antigens ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; Illicium/chemistry* ; Phenyl Ethers

Four new diphenyl ethers, named epicoccethers K-N (1-4), were purified from the fermentation medium of a fungus Epicoccum sorghinum derived from Myoporum bontioides, and identified through HR-ESI-MS and NMR spectral analysis. Except that compound 1 showed moderate antifungal activity against Penicillium italicum and Fusarium graminearum, the other three compounds showed stronger activity against them than triadimefon. All of them showed moderate or weak antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli with O6 and O78 serotypes except that 3 was inactive to E. coli O6.
Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology* ; Antifungal Agents/chemistry* ; Ascomycota ; Escherichia coli ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Molecular Structure ; Phenyl Ethers/chemistry*

Optically active form of alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (CPB) alcohol, building block of pyrethroid insecticides, was synthesized as its acetate by the combination of anion-exchange resin (D301)-catalyzed transcyanation between m-phenoxybenzaldehyde (m-PBA) and acetone cyanohydrin (AC), and lipase (from Alcaligenes sp.)-catalyzed enantioselective transesterification of the resulting cyanohydrin with vinyl acetate. Through optimizing technological conditions, the catalyzing efficiency was improved considerably compared to methods previously reported. Concentrations of CPB acetate were determined by gas chromatograph. The enantio excess (e.e.) values of CPB acetate were measured by NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) method. Effects of solvents and temperatures on this reaction were studied. Cyclohexane was shown to be the best solvent among the three tested solvents. 55 degrees C was the optimal temperature for higher degree of conversion. External diffusion limitation was excluded by raising the rotational speed to 220 r/min. However, internal diffusion could not be ignored, since the catalyst (lipase) was an immobilized enzyme and its particle dimension was not made small enough. The reaction rate was substantially accelerated when the reactant (m-PBA) concentration was as high as 249 mmol/L, but decreased when the initial concentration of m-PBA reached to 277 mmol/L. It was also found that the catalyzing capability of recovered lipase was high enough to use several batches. Study of the mole ratio of AC to m-PBA showed that 2:1 was the best choice. The strategy of adding base catalyst D301 was found to be an important factor in improving the degree of conversion of the reaction from 20% to 80%. The highest degree of conversion of the reaction has reached up to 80%.
Alcaligenes ; enzymology ; Benzaldehydes ; chemistry ; Combinatorial Chemistry Techniques ; methods ; Lipase ; chemistry ; Nitriles ; chemistry ; Organic Chemicals ; chemistry ; Phenyl Ethers ; chemical synthesis ; Technology, Pharmaceutical ; methods

A novel series of fingolimod analogues containing diphenyl ether moiety were designed and synthesized based on the modification of immunosuppressive agent fingolimod used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Compounds were evaluated in vivo for lymphopenic activity and heart rate affection. Most compounds showed moderate lymphopenic activity. It is worth noting that compounds 6c, 6d and 14c-14e showed considerable immunosuppressive activities comparable to fingolimod. And compound 14e had no effect on heart rate.
Animals ; Fingolimod Hydrochloride ; chemical synthesis ; pharmacology ; Heart Rate ; drug effects ; Immunosuppressive Agents ; chemistry ; Lymphopenia ; pathology ; Phenyl Ethers ; chemistry ; Structure-Activity Relationship

Antifungal drug resistance is a significant clinical problem, and antifungal agents that can evade resistance are urgently needed. In infective niches, resistant organisms often co-existed with sensitive ones, or a subpopulation of antibiotic-susceptible organisms may evolve into resistant ones during antibiotic treatment and eventually dominate the whole population. In this study, we established a co-culture assay in which an azole-resistant Candida albicans strain was mixed with a susceptible strain labeled with green fluorescent protein to mimic in vivo conditions and screen for antifungal drugs. Fluconazole was used as a positive control to verify the validity of this co-culture assay. Five natural molecules exhibited antifungal activity against both susceptible and resistant C. albicans. Two of these compounds, retigeric acid B (RAB) and riccardin D (RD), preferentially inhibited C. albicans strains in which the efflux pump MDR1 was activated. This selectivity was attributed to greater intracellular accumulation of the drugs in the resistant strains. Changes in sterol and lipid compositions were observed in the resistant strains compared to the susceptible strain, and might increase cell permeability to RAB and RD. In addition, RAB and RD interfered with the sterol pathway, further aggregating the decrease in ergosterol in the sterol synthesis pathway in the MDR1-activated strains. Our findings here provide an alternative for combating resistant pathogenic fungi.
ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters ; genetics ; metabolism ; Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Azoles ; pharmacology ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; drug effects ; genetics ; Candida albicans ; chemistry ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Cell Membrane ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Coculture Techniques ; Drug Resistance, Fungal ; drug effects ; Ergosterol ; metabolism ; Fungal Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Lipids ; chemistry ; Molecular Structure ; Permeability ; Phenyl Ethers ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Sterols ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Stilbenes ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; metabolism ; pharmacology

AIM: To investigate the chemical constituents of the endophytic fungus Verticillium sp. isolated from Rehmannia glutinosa. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and purified by repeated column chromatography, and their structures were determined on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral analysis. Their cytotoxic and antifungal activities were evaluated. RESULTS: Ten compounds were obtained and their structures were identified as 2, 4-dihydroxy-2', 6-diacetoxy-3'-methoxy-5'-methyl-diphenyl ether (1), paecilospirone (2), α-acetylorcinol (3), 2-methoxy-1,8-dimethyl-xanthen-9-one (4), 4-hydroxy-α-lapachone (5), enalin A (6), 2,3,4-trimethyl-5,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran (7), 4-hydroxyethyl-phenol (8), 2,4-dihydroxy-3,5,6-trimethyl- methylbenzoate (9), and 3-isopropenyl-(Z)-monomethyl maleate (10). CONCLUSIONS Compound 1 is a new diphenyl ether, and showed cytotoxic activity against HL-60 cells (IC50 2.24 μg · mL(-1)), and antifungal activities against Candida albicans (MIC 8 μg · mL(-1)) and Aspergillus fumigatus (MIC 16 μg · mL(-1)).
Antifungal Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Aspergillus fumigatus ; drug effects ; Candida albicans ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Endophytes ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Humans ; Phenyl Ethers ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; metabolism ; pharmacokinetics ; Rehmannia ; microbiology ; Verticillium ; chemistry ; metabolism