Cytotoxic metabolites from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus costaricensis y15

Abstract

Eleven compounds (1–11), comprising two previously undescribed tetrahydrofuran derivatives (1–2) alongside nine recognized metabolites (3–11), were separated and purified from the EtOAc extract derived from the endophytic strain Aspergillus costaricensis. The structural determination of the compounds was achieved unambiguously through NMR spectroscopy, HRESIMS, and ECD analysis. Subsequent biological evaluation assessed the cytotoxic, antimicrobial, and α-glucosidase inhibitory properties of all isolates. Compound 10 exhibited moderate potency against the cancer cell lines MCF-7 and A549, with respective IC50 values of 22.0 ± 1.2 μM and 15.5 ± 1.1 μM. Overall, this investigation expands the chemical diversity of the genus Aspergillus and highlights compound 10 as a promising structural scaffold for further anticancer drug development.