Globosumones A-C, cytotoxic orsellinic acid esters from the sonoran desert endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum

Three new esters of orsellinic acid, globosumones A-C (1-3), and three known compounds, orsellinic acid (4), orcinol, and trichodion (5), were isolated from Chaetomium globosum endophytic on Ephedra fasciculata (Mormon tea). The structures of the new compounds 1-3 were established spectroscopically, which included 2D NMR experiments and H-1 NMR studies on Mosher's ester derivatives. All compounds were evaluated for inhibition of cell proliferation in a panel of four cancer cell lines, NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), SF-268 (CNS glioma), and MIA Pa Ca-2 (pancreatic carcinoma), and normal human fibroblast cells (WI-38). Only globosumones A (1) and B (2) were found to be moderately active.