Taxus Chinensis Endogenous Fungal Secondary Metabolites

Taxol represented taxanes is a new series of effective antitumor natural produts with rare sources and high prices. Taxus, also known as yew Taxus, is endangered for over exploitation for its well recognized agent-taxol, and enlisted as threatened plant in China. To find a rich source to meet the high demand of taxol, biosynthesis through fermentation of endophytic fungi of Taxus to produce taxol or taxanes has now become one of the hotest areas of medicine research.This paper carried out research on isolation, screening of endophytes of Taxus chinensis var. mairei and studies antitumor acitivity of endopyte product. We aim to exploit new sources for production of taxol, isolate endophyte strains for taxol, exploit bioactive natural products and provide technological support for industrial production of taxol.20 strains of endophytes were abtained from 10 years old barks of Taxus chinensis var. mairei and metabolites were screened by Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Antitumor activity analysis of metabolite extract of the strain H⑥.1 was carried out by MTT method. As the antitumor activity depends on its concentration, the cell proliferation inhibition rate reach 50% at the concentration of 100μg/ml. This result showed cytotoxity potent of endophytic metabolite of Taxus chinensis var. mairei.One compound was separated from the metabolite extract of H⑥.1. Spectrum ananlysis by IR, MS,1H-NMR,13C-NMR and literatures comparison proved its structure to be penitrem A.