Quinolactacins A, B and C:: Novel quinolone compounds from Penicillium sp EPF-6 I.: Taxonomy, production, isolation and biological properties

Quinolactacins A (1), B (2) and C (3), novel quinolone antibiotics have been found from the cultured broth of a fungal strain isolated from the larvae of the mulberry pyralid (Margaronia pyloalis Welker). The fungal strain, EPF-6 was identified as Penicillium sp, from its morphological characteristics. Quinolactacins were obtained from the culture medium by solvent extraction and chromatographic purification. Compound 1 showed inhibitory activity against turner necrosis factor (TNF) production induced by murine peritoneal macrophages and macrophage-like J774.1 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS).