Open-Ring Butenolides from a Marine-Derived Anti-Neuroinflammatory Fungus Aspergillus terreus Y10.

To investigate structurally novel and anti-neuroinflammatory natural compounds from marine-derived microorganisms, the secondary metabolites of Aspergillus terreus Y10, a fungus separated from the sediment of the coast in the South China Sea, were studied. Three new compounds (2⁻4), with novel open-ring butenolide skeletons, were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the culture medium. In addition, a typical new butenolide, asperteretal F (1), was found to dose-dependently inhibit tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) generation with an IC50 of 7.6 μg/mL. The present study shows the existence of open-ring butenolides, and suggests that butenolides such as asperteretal F (1) are a promising new anti-neuroinflammatroy candidate for neurodegenerative diseases.