A new sesquiterpene antibiotic, heptelidic acid producing organisms, fermentation, isolation and characterization

A new sesquiterpene antibiotic, heptelidic acid, was found in the culture filtrate of three different strains of fungi isolated from soil samples. These strains were identified as Gliocladium virens, Chaetomium globosum and Trichoderma viride. Heptelidic acid was produced by conventional submerged culture and purified by successive column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 and finally by preparative TLC on silica gel. The molecular formula of heptelidic acid was determined as C15H20O5 on the basis of elementary analysis and high resolution mass spectrometry of its monomethyl ester. The antimicrobial spectrum of the antibiotic revealed its specific activity against anaerobic bacteria, especially against Bacteroides fragilis.