Paecilins Q and R: Antifungal chromanones produced by the endophytic fungus Pseudofusicoccum stromaticum CMRP4328

Chemical investigation of the endophyte Pseudofusicoccum stromaticum CMRP4328 isolated from the medicinal plant Stryphnodendron adstringens yielded ten compounds, including two new dihydrochromones, paecilins Q (1) and R (2). The antifungal activity of the isolated metabolites was assessed against an important citrus pathogen, Phyllosticta citricarpa. Cytochalasin H (6) (78.3 %), phomoxanthone A (3) (70.2%), phomoxanthone B (4) (63.1 %) and paecilin Q (1) (50.5 %) decreased in vitro the number of pycnidia produced by P. citricarpa, which are responsible for the disease dissemination in orchards. In addition, compounds 3 and 6 inhibited the development of citrus black spot (CBS) symptoms in citrus fruits. Cytochalasin H (6) and one of the new compounds, paecilin Q (1) appear particularly promising, as they showed strong activity against this citrus pathogen, and low or no cytotoxic activity. The strain CMRP4328 of P. stromaticum and its metabolites deserve further investigation for the control of citrus black spot disease.