Fungi toxins

The most important compounds of this group of fungi toxins are the cyclic peptides amatoxins or amanita toxins (10-202) and phaUo-toxins (10-203) of the death cap (Amanita phalloides, Amanitaceae) that cause the phaUoidin poisoning. The main toxin is phaUoidin... 

The number of clear human epidemiologic studies is small. A total of approximately 50 compounds (c.g., benzene, vinyl chloride) and complex e.xposures (e.g., aluminum production, tobacco smoke) have sufficient data available to permit their classification as human carcinogens. The most potent human carcinogens known, the aflatoxins. are of natural origin. Their presence in food products through infestation by toxin-producing fungi constitute a serious problem in several tropical and subtropical countries. 

I refer, of course, to the toxins produced by phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. Considering the widespread damage which they cause, it is remarkable that so little is known about the chemistry of these substances. Perhaps the first toxin to receive detailed chemical examination was lycomarasmin (XIX) (36), an isolate from... 

There has been considerable interest in the use of plants for bioremediation and this merits a rather extensive discussion. Plants can play an important role in bioremediation for several reasons (1) they can transport contaminants from the soil, (2) they can metabolize the contaminants after uptake, or (3) they can produce exudes that support microbial activity for degradation of the contaminants. In addition, bacteria can produce metabolites that counter the effect of toxins produced by fungi, and serve as biocontrol agents that diminish the need for the application of agrochemicals. Plant exudates play an important role in supporting the growth and activity of bacteria that carry out the degradation of contaminants in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane (the external surface of roots... 

Delayed action cytotoxins that inhibit the synthesis of nucleic acids. They are obtained from various molds/fungi (Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus). They are colorless to pale-yellow crystalline materials melting above 450°F. The "B" toxins fluoresce blue in the presence of UV light while the "G" toxins fluoresce green. They are only slightly soluble in water, but are soluble in methanol, acetone, and chloroform. Aqueous solutions are "probably stable" and "probably tolerant" to chlorine at purification concentrations. 

The use of BRMs to treat human disease has its origins in the use of bacterial toxins to treat cancer by William B. Coley.73 These early studies resulted in the use of microbi-ally-derived substances such as BCG, Picibanil, carbohydrates from plants or fungi such as Krestin and Lentinan, other products such as Biostim and Broncho-Vaxom, as well as thymic extracts (Table 9.4). However, the lot-to-lot variation in the manufacture of these drugs has dampened enthusiasm. Equally, the focus on MOAs in drug development strategies has also dampened developmental efforts. The particulate nature of some BRMs can also result in pulmonary thrombosis and respiratory distress following i.v. injection. However, BRMs are commonly used to treat bladder cancer and derivatives of natural products are routinely used clinically. 

Myeloperoxidase is an extremely potent, antimicrobial protein that is present in neutrophils at up to 5% of the total cell protein. Its role in the killing of a wide range of bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa and mammalian cells (e.g. tumour cells) is well established from in vitro studies. It also plays an important role in the inactivation of toxins and the activation of latent proteases, as well as in other functions described in section 5.4.1. In view of this apparent central role in neutrophil function during host defence, one would think that any deficiencies in this enzyme would have disastrous consequences on the ability of the host to combat infections. Until the early 1980s, this key role for myeloperoxidase in host protection seemed substantiated by the extremely low incidence of reports of patients with deficiencies of this enzyme. Indeed, up to this time, only 15 cases from 12 families had been reported worldwide. Sometimes these patients were asymptomatic but often suffered Candida infections, particularly if their myeloperoxidase deficiency was also associated with diabetes mellitus. 

Controlling for patulin contamination by P. expansum can be accomplished through the removal of damaged fruit, or the elimination of the fungi and toxins with water jets and subsequent drying. 

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