A novel cyclodepsipeptide, cordycommunin (1), and two dihydroisocoumarins (2 and 3) were isolated from the insect pathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps communis BCC 16475. The absolute configurations of the amino acid residues of 1 were addressed by application of Marfey's method. Cordycommunin (1) showed growth inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra with an MIC value of 15 microM. This compound also exhibited weak cytotoxicity to KB cells with an IC50 of 45 microM, while it was inactive against BC, NCI-H187, and Vero cell lines at a concentration of 88 microM (50 microg/mL).

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Two new hirsutane sesquiterpenes, connatusins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the fungus Lentinus connatus BCC 8996. The structures, closely related to hypnophilin, were elucidated on the basis of the spectroscopic data. An X-ray analysis was performed to confirm the structure of 1. Six known compounds were also obtained. Panepoxydone (5), panepoxydione (6), and dihydrohypnophilin (8) exhibited significant antimalarial and cytotoxic activities.

Eleven substances including naphthalenones, naphthoquinones, unsymmetrical naphthoquinone dimers and a chlorinated diphenyl ether, three of which are new, have been isolated from the fungus Phaeosphaeria sp. The absolute stereochemistry of naphthalenones has been determined by the Mosher and exciton chirality methods. The biological activity of these compounds against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and cytotoxicity against KB, BCA, NCI-H 187 and Vero cell lines were evaluated.