Isolation and partial characterization of a mycotoxin from Penicillium roqueforti

Extracts of pure cultures of Penicillium roqueforti isolated from toxic feed samples and of P. roqueforti NRRL 849 were lethal to rats by either intraperitoneal or oral administration. Purification studies guided by this test led to the isolation of a major toxin which showed intraperitoneal and oral median lethal dose values in weanling rats of 11 and 115 mg/kg, respectively. Partial characterization of the crystalline compound, C(17)H(20)O(6), by infrared, ultra violet, PMR, and mass spectroscopy, and by several chemical transformations indicated the presence of three C-methyl substituents plus one acetoxy, one aldehyde, and one alpha,beta-unsaturated ketone group. Two oxygen atoms are present either in epoxide or ether form.