Medicinal molds

Aspergillus

Medicinal molds are fungi used for biotechnology or drug discovery.

Anticancer compounds

BMS manufactures paclitaxel using Penicillium raistrickii and plant cell fermentation (PCF). Fungi can synthesize other microtubule targeting anticancer compounds including vinblastine, vincristine, podophyllotoxin, griseofulvin, aurantiamine, oxaline, and neoxaline.[1] 11,11'-dideoxyverticillin A, an isolate of a marine Penicillium, was used to create dozens of semi-synthetic anticancer compounds.[2]

Antibiotics

Alexander Fleming paved the way to the beta-lactam antibiotics with the Penicillium mold and penicillin. Cephalosporin, fusafungine, fumagillin, alamethicin, fusidic acid, brefeldin A, and verrucarin A, were discovered in molds.

Cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors

Red yeast rice made by Monascus purpureus

Akira Endo paved the way to the statin medications isolating the pravastatin precurser mevastatin from Penicillium. Lovastatin, the first commercial statin, was found in the Aspergillus mold. The red yeast rice mold Monascus purpureus, creates lovastatin, mevastatin, and the simvastatin precursor monacolin J. Zaragozic acids were isolated from ascomycota fungi.

Antifungals

Griseofulvin, caspofungin, strobilurin, azoxystrobin, micafungin, and echinocandins, were discovered in molds. Anidulafungin is a derivative of an Aspergillus isolate.

Immunosuppressants

Ciclosporin, was discovered in Tolypocladium inflatum. Bredinin was discovered in Eupenicillium brefeldianum. Mycophenolic acid was discovered in Penicillium stoloniferum. Thermophilic molds were the source of the fingolimod precursor myriocin. Aspergillus can synthesize endocrocin.

Antimalarials

The fungal isolates codinaeopsin, efrapeptins, zervamicins, and antiamoebin, inhibit malaria protozoa. Codinaeopsin has an IC₅₀ of 2.3 µg/mL against Plasmodium falciparum.

Biotechnology

Endophytic fungi are currently used to manufacture paclitaxel, and are potential sources of vinblastine, vincristine, huperzine A, hypericin, vincamine, gentiopicrin, chlorogenic acid, diosgenin, as well as docetaxel precursor 10-deacetylbaccatin and paclitaxel precursor baccatin III. Endophytic fungi are potential sources of podophyllotoxin and camptothecin, precursors to etoposide, teniposide, topotecan, and irinotecan. Aspergillus and Penicillium are potential sources of ergot alkaloid precursors to cafergot, dihydroergotamine, methysergide, methylergometrine, hydergine, nicergoline, lisuride, bromocriptine, cabergoline, pergolide, and lysergic acid diethylamide. Aspergillus is a potential source of chitosan.

Sanofi manufactures artemisinin using genetically modified yeast.[3]

See also

• Aspergillus oryzae (koji) the fungus used to produce soy sauce, miso, rice wines, rice beers, and rice vinegars
• Cheese molds Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium camemberti
• LUBILOSA
• Medicinal mushrooms
• Mycoremediation
• Mycorrhiza medicinal fungi of the plant kingdom
• Physarum polycephalum a semi-intelligent slime mold
• Prototaxites a prehistoric tree-like fungus
• Saccharomyces boulardii a medicinal yeast
• Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's/brewer's yeast) extracts Vegemite, Marmite, Cenovis, Guinness Yeast Extract, EpiCor, MOS, baker's yeast, yeast extract, pgg-glucan, nutritional yeast, zymosan

External links

• Antitumor Extrolites Produced by Penicillium Species
• Endophytic fungi for producing bioactive compounds originally from their host plants