Lawsozaheer, a new chromone produced by an endophytic fungus Paecilomyces variotii isolated from Lawsonia Alba Lam. inhibits the growth of Staphylococcus aureus

One new chromone, lawsozaheer (1), and five known compounds 4-(2-hydroxyethyl) phenol (2), viriditoxin (3), stigmasta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one (4), beta-sitosterol (5) and stigmasterol (6) were isolated from the fungal broth of Paecilomyces variotii. Their structures were elucidated using spectroscopic data. The configuration of 1 was determined by Horeau's method. The broth extract and compound 1 showed highly selective activity against Staphylococcus aureus (NCTC 6571) bacterium with 83.19 and 84.26% inhibition respectively at 150 mu g/mL, comparing well with that of standard drug ofloxacin (87.013% inhibition at 100 mu g/mL). Broth extract also showed 75, and 40% inhibition of Candida albicans and Fusarium lini, respectively.

Automated summary

One new chromone, lawsozaheer, and five known compounds were isolated from the fungal broth of Paecilomyces variotii. Both the broth extract and compound 1 exhibited highly selective activity against Staphylococcus aureus, with inhibition rates comparable to the standard drug ofloxacin. The broth extract also showed inhibition against Candida albicans and Fusarium lini.