Two unreported lecanoric acid derivatives isolated from Chaetomium globosum KM651986 and their anti-diabetic effect

The genus Chaetomium, Chaetomiaceae, is a promising source of secondary metabolites with proven pharmacological activities. In the present study, a new strain of Chaetomium globosum (KM651986) was investigated resulting in the isolation of two unreported lecanoric acid derivatives 1 and 2, for the first time, which were analyzed using spectroscopic methods, SwissSimilarity, and SwissTargetPrediction. Thus, predicting the possible biological targets for 1 and 2. Consequently, the crude methanol extract of C. globosum, compounds 1 and 2 were investigated for their anti-diabetic activity using streptozocin (STZ) - induced diabetic rat model. Results indicated that the crude extract C. globosum and compounds 1 and 2 significantly impacted serum glucose, insulin, HbA1c levels, hepatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) content, cAMP levels, and hepatic α-amylase content. Compound 2 showed a significant decrease in serum glucose by 40% and an increase in insulin level by 65% compared to STZ-diabetic rats, indicating its potent anti-hyperglycemic effect and potential in improving insulin secretion and cell regeneration. Compound 2 also elevated hepatic G6PD, normalized cAMP levels, and decreased hepatic α-amylase, indicating its potential in improving glucose metabolism at the hepatic level. Therefore, compound 2 emerges as particularly promising anti-diabetic candidate meriting further investigation into its potential therapeutic mechanisms of action.