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The present study was designed to isolate and purify chemical constituents from solid culture of endophyte Aspergillus terreus LQ, using silica gel column chromatography, gel filtration with Sephadex LH-20, and HPLC. Fumigaclavine I (1), a new alkaloid, was obtained, along with seven known compounds, including fumigaclavine C (2), rhizoctonic acid (3), monomethylsulochrin (4), chaetominine (5), spirotryprostatin A (6), asperfumoid (7), and lumichrome (8). The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by various spectroscopic analyses (UV, MS, 1D and 2D NMR). The in vitro cytotoxicity of compound 1 was determined by MTT assay in human hepatocarcinoma cell line SMMC-7721, showing weaker cytotoxicity, compared with cisplatin, a clinically used cancer chemotherapeutic agent., (Copyright © 2015 China Pharmaceutical University. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aspergillus tamarii Kita. isolated from seeds of Paspalum scrobiculatum L. is found to produce ergot alkaloids in submerged culture. The culture filtrate and mycelium are observed to contain 0.125 mg/mL and 1.2 mg/g (dry weight) total alkaloids consisting of 86.5 and 91.3% fumigaclavine A, respectively. The identification of the compound was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography, ultraviolet, infrared, and mass spectrophotometry analyses. This is the first report of the production of ergot alkaloid by this fungus. The possible role of fumigaclavine A as a mycotoxin is discussed.