Commercial Quantities of Cytochalasin D and 5-Carboxymellein from Static Cultures of Endophytic Fungi

Cytochalasin D is a cytotoxic compound used in cellular research and drug development. Cytochalasin D is produced from molds, often in mixtures which are difficult to purify. Yields from the synthesis of the compound are poor, hence the high cost of the cytotoxic compound. Static cultures of a group of endophytic fungi: were sub-cultured in 250 ml conical flask each for three weeks. Each of the endophyte culture was transferred into ten 2.0 dm3 Thompson bottles and allowed to grow for 8 weeks. TLC studies of the individual crude extracts indicated that the four mangrove endophytes produced the same compounds. The crude extract obtained from RAR 5-6 was dissolved in warm ethyl acetate and left overnight. A white solid (0.90 g) precipitated from the solution. The solid was removed by filtration and recrystallized from the same solvent to give pure cytochalasin D. The resulting filtrate was chromatographed on silica gel. Fraction 5 yielded a yellow viscous liquid (270 mg). This was triturated with alcohol and left to stand for 48 h to give white crystals, Spectroscopic analysis indicated that the compound was 5-carboxymellein. The production of pure cytochalasin D from these endophytic fungi could be a source of commercial production of this important cytotoxic compound.