Biotransformation of alpha- and 6beta-santonin by fungus and plant cell cultures.

L Yang, J Dai, J-I Sakai, M Ando

Index: J. Asian Nat. Prod. Res. 8(4) , 317-26, (2006)

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Abstract

One fungus, Abisidia coerulea IFO 4011, and suspended cell cultures of one plant, Asparagus officinalis, were employed to bioconvert alpha- and 6beta-santonin. Incubation of alpha-santonin with the cell cultures of the fungus afforded two products, 11beta-hydroxy-alpha-santonin (1, in 76.5% yield) and 8alpha-hydroxy-alpha-santonin (2, in 2.0% yield). And from 6beta-santonin, four major products (3, 4, 5 and 6) and four minor products (7, 8, 9 and 10) were obtained, including 8alpha-hydroxylated products in trace yields. Very interestingly, a skeletal rearrangement occurred and a guaiane product (13) formed in a very low yield when alpha-santonin incubating with A.officinalis cell cultures, while not in the case of 6beta-santonin as substrate. Among the obtained 15 products, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 are new compounds. The fact of 8alpha hydroxylation of santonin enables the formation of 8,12-eudesmanolide instead of 6,12-eudesmanolide and some useful modification at C-8 position. In addition, these reactions would provide evidence for the biogenesis between different types of eudesmane and/or guaiane compounds in the plants in nature.