Microbial metabolism of prenylated naringenin derivatives

Prenylated flavonoids are widely distributed in plants, and many of them are known to have biological activities and health-benefit effects including anticancer and cancer chemopreventive activities. Among the classes of prenylated flavonoids are prenylated flavanones, prenylnaringenins. Microbial metabolism of a series of synthetic prenylnaringenins have been studied in our on-going research program on biologically active prenylated naringenin derivatives. Screening studies have revealed a number of microorganisms that are capable of metabolizing these prenylnaringenins. Scale-up fermentation processes using selected microorganisms followed by chromatographic separation and spectroscopic analysis have led to the identification of microbial metabolites that are more polar than the parent prenylnaringenins. Detailed fermentation, isolation and structure elucidation of the microbial metabolites will be presented.