ABSTRACT
Objective: To study the secondary metabolites of the marine fungus Eutypella scoparia from the South China Sea and their antitumor activities. Methods: The compounds were isolated by various chromatographic methods (silica gel, reverse silica gel, Sephadex-LH20, preparative TLC, and so on) and recrystallization. Their structures were identified by extensive analysis of their spectroscopic data. The inhibitory effects of these compounds on SF-268, MCF-7, and NCI-H460 cell lines were observed in vitro by MTT method. Results: Ten compounds (six pimarane diterpenes and four steroids) were isolated from the culture and identified as isopimara-8(14),15-diene (1), libertellenone A (2), scopararane B (3), diaporthein A (4), diaporthein B (5), 11-deoxydiaporthein A (6), (22E,24R)-ergosta-4,6,8(14)-22-tetraen-3-one (7), ergosterol (8), ergosterol peroxide (9), and cerevisterol (10). Compound 5 has the notable cytotoxic activities on SF-268, MCF-7, and NCI-H460 cell growth with IC 50 values of 9.2, 4.4, and 9.9 μmol/L, respectively. Conclusion: Compounds 1, 2, and 6-10 are isolated from the fungi of Eutypella (Nits.) Sacc. for the first time and compound 5 demonstrates the significant inhibition on above three cell lines.