Progress in the chemistry of organic natural products最新文献

Many of the clinically used anticancer agents in Western medicine are derived from secondary metabolites found in terrestrial microbes, marine organisms, and higher plants, with additional compounds of this type being currently in clinical trials. If plants are taken specifically, it is generally agreed that the prospects of encountering enhanced small organic-molecule chemical diversity are better if tropical rather than temperate species are investigated in drug discovery efforts. Plant collection in tropical source countries requires considerable preparation and organization to conduct in a responsible manner that abides by the provisions of the 1992 Rio Convention of Biological Diversity and the 2010 Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources. Correct taxonomic identifications and enhanced procedures for processing and documenting plant samples when collected in often difficult terrain are required. Phytochemical aspects of the work involve solvent fractionation, known compound dereplication, preliminary in vitro testing, and prioritization, leading to "activity-guided fractionation", compound structure determination, and analog development. Further evaluation of lead compounds requires solubility, formulation, preliminary pharmacokinetics, and in vivo testing in suitable models. Covering the work of the authors carried out in two sequential multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research projects, examples of very promising compounds discovered from plants acquired from Africa, Southeast Asia, the Americas, and the Caribbean region, and with potential anticancer activity will be mentioned. These include plant secondary metabolites of the diphyllin lignan, cyclopenta[b]benzofuran, triterpenoid, and tropane alkaloid types.

Secondary metabolites of higher fungi (mushrooms) are an underexplored resource compared to plant-derived secondary metabolites. An increasing interest in mushroom natural products has been noted in recent years. This chapter gives a comprehensive overview of the secondary metabolites from higher fungi, with 765 references highlighting the isolation, structure elucidation, biological activities, chemical syntheses, and biosynthesis of pigments, nitrogen-containing compounds, and terpenoids from mushrooms. Mushroom toxins are also included in each section.In a section on pigments of higher fungi, pigments are classified into four categories, namely, those from the shikimate-chorismate, acetate-malonate, and mevalonate biosynthetic pathways, and pigments containing nitrogen, with 145 references covering the years 2010-2016.In a section on other nitrogen-containing compounds of higher fungi, compounds are categorized primarily into nitrogen heterocycles, nucleosides, non-protein amino acids, cyclic peptides, and sphingolipids, with 65 references covering the years 2010-2016. In turn, in a section describing terpenoids of higher fungi, the sesquiterpenoids and diterpenoids are thoroughly elaborated, spanning the years 2001-2016, and 2009-2016, respectively. The divergent biosynthetic pathways from farnesyl pyrophosphate to sesquiterpenoids are also described. Selected triterpenoids with novel structures and promising biological activities, including lanostanes and ergostanes, are reported from the genus Ganoderma, and the fungi Antrodia cinnamomea and Poria cocos. In addition, cucurbitanes and saponaceolides are also compiled in this section.