Sesquiterpenoids from Cultures of the Basidiomycetes Irpex lacteus

Eight previously undescribed sesquiterpenoids, tremutins A-H (1-8), together with three known ones (9-11), were isolated from cultures of the basidiomycetes Irpex lacteus. Structures of the new compounds together with absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffractions and equivalent circulating density calculations. Compounds 1 and 2 possess an unusual 6/7-fused ring system that might be derived from a tremulane framework. Compounds 3-7 and 9-11 are tremulane sesquiterpenoids of which 4 and 5 are the first tremulane examples with a 1,2-epoxy moiety to be reported. Compounds 6, 7, 10, and 11 possess weak activities to several human cancer cell lines. Compound 8 shows a weak inhibitory effect on NO production with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) value of 22.7 μM. Compound 1 inhibits the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced proliferation of B lymphocyte cells with an IC₅₀ value of 22.4 μM, while 2 inhibits concanavalin A (Con A)-induced T cell proliferation and LPS-induced B lymphocyte cell proliferation with IC₅₀ values of 16.7 and 13.6 μM, respectively.