Camphoratins A-J, potent cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory triterpenoids from the fruiting body of Taiwanofungus camphoratus

Ten new triterpenoids, camphoratins A-J (1–10), along with twelve known compounds were isolated from the fruiting body of Taiwanofungus camphorates. Their structures were established by spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. Compound 10 is the first example of a naturally occurring ergosteroid with an unusual 14β proton configuration. Compounds 2–6 and 11 showed moderate to potent cytotoxicity with EC₅₀ values ranging from 0.3 to 3µM against KB and KB-VIN human cancer cell lines. Compounds 6, 10, 11, 14–16, 18 and 21 exhibited potent anti-inflammatory NO-production inhibition activity with IC₅₀ values of less than 5µM, which was more potent than the nonspecific NOS inhibitor N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). Therefore, camphoratin analogs represent a unique class of triterpenes with cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory dual-functions, and have a good potential to be developed into novel anticancer drugs or anticancer synergistic agents.