A new ribonucleotide from Cordyceps militaris

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Cordyceps militaris is a fungus with a history of traditional medicinal use.
• Investigating its chemical constituents can reveal novel bioactive compounds.
• Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is a key regulator of inflammatory and immune responses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize chemical compounds from Cordyceps militaris.
• To evaluate the biological activity of these compounds, specifically their effect on NF-κB activation.

Main Methods:

• Ethanol extraction of Cordyceps militaris.
• Structure elucidation using 1D and 2D Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and High-Resolution Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS).
• Assay of NF-κB activation inhibition in HeLa cells stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α).

Main Results:

• One novel ribonucleotide, 5'-(3''-deoxy-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-3'-deoxyadenosine (1), and 14 known compounds (2-15) were isolated.
• Compound 2 demonstrated significant inhibitory activity against TNF-α-induced NF-κB reporter gene expression.
• Inhibitory effects were observed in the concentration range of 3 to 100 μM.

Conclusions:

• Cordyceps militaris is a source of diverse bioactive natural products.
• Compound 2 is a potent inhibitor of TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation.
• These findings suggest potential therapeutic applications for Cordyceps militaris-derived compounds in inflammatory conditions.