Terphenyls from fruiting bodies

The dimethoxy derivative of polyporic acid, betulinan A (4), is another of the few known />-terphenyls with unsubstituted side rings. It has recently been isolated from fruiting bodies of Lenzites betulina, together with the related betulinan B (113, see Section 4.1) [27], Betulinan A and B are potent inhibitors of lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes (thiobarbituric acid method), and 4 showed the highest activity (IC50 = 0.46 pg/mL). 

Very recently, ganbajunin A (28), a further orange pigment related to atromentin, the methoxy atromentin 22 and other fully aromatic p-terphenyls (reported here in the following) were isolated from fruiting bodies of the Chinese mushroom Thelephora ganbajun [57],... 

As a further example of the promising properties of / terphenyl metabolites, we wish to mention here the benzofuranoid compounds isolated from the fruiting bodies of Poliporus leucomelas, and in particular Bl-III (69), displaying an inhibitory effect on 5-lipoxygenase comparable to that of a therapeutic drug for asthma. 

A total synthesis of the pyrazine alkaloid Botryllazine B from the red ascidian Botryllus leachi was accomplished, and a previously proposed structure was shown to be correct <04M333>. Also in the natural product arena, six new polyhydroxy-p-terphenyl pyrazinediol dioxide conjugates 98a-c and 99a-c related to sarcodonin were isolated from the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Sarcodon leucopus <04EJO592>. 

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