整合生物学期刊网

应用天然产物 ›› 2025, Vol. 15 ›› Issue (2): 19-19.DOI: 10.1007/s13659-025-00501-2

• REVIEW • 上一篇    下一篇

Newly isolated terpenoids (covering 2019-2024) from Aspergillus species and their potential for the discovery of novel antimicrobials

Olusesan Ojo1,2, Idris Njanje1, Dele Abdissa1,3, Tarryn Swart1, Roxanne L. Higgitt1, Rosemary A. Dorrington1   

  1. 1. Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa;
    2. Department of Chemical Sciences, Lead City University, P. O. Box 30678, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria;
    3. Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Jimma University, P. O Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia
  • 收稿日期:2024-11-10 接受日期:2025-02-23 出版日期:2025-04-25 发布日期:2025-05-17
  • 通讯作者: Olusesan Ojo, E-mail:ojoolusesan33@gmail.com;Rosemary A. Dorrington, E-mail:r.dorrington@ru.ac.za
  • 基金资助:
    This work was supported by grants awarded to RAD by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), with funds received from the South African National Department of Health, and the UK Medical Research Council, with funds received from the UK Government's Newton Fund (Grant No.: 96185) and by South African National Research Foundation (NRF) through the DSI/NRF South African Research Chair Initiative (NRF UID 87583). OO was supported by a Rhodes University Post-Doctoral Fellowship, while IN and TS received Post-Doctoral Fellowships from the SAMRC. DA was supported by DAAD Scholarship (Reference number: 91758998). The authors’ opinions and conclusions as expressed in this paper are their own and should not be attributed to any of the funding bodies itemized above.

Newly isolated terpenoids (covering 2019-2024) from Aspergillus species and their potential for the discovery of novel antimicrobials

Olusesan Ojo1,2, Idris Njanje1, Dele Abdissa1,3, Tarryn Swart1, Roxanne L. Higgitt1, Rosemary A. Dorrington1   

  1. 1. Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa;
    2. Department of Chemical Sciences, Lead City University, P. O. Box 30678, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria;
    3. Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Jimma University, P. O Box 378, Jimma, Ethiopia
  • Received:2024-11-10 Accepted:2025-02-23 Online:2025-04-25 Published:2025-05-17
  • Contact: Olusesan Ojo, E-mail:ojoolusesan33@gmail.com;Rosemary A. Dorrington, E-mail:r.dorrington@ru.ac.za
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by grants awarded to RAD by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), with funds received from the South African National Department of Health, and the UK Medical Research Council, with funds received from the UK Government's Newton Fund (Grant No.: 96185) and by South African National Research Foundation (NRF) through the DSI/NRF South African Research Chair Initiative (NRF UID 87583). OO was supported by a Rhodes University Post-Doctoral Fellowship, while IN and TS received Post-Doctoral Fellowships from the SAMRC. DA was supported by DAAD Scholarship (Reference number: 91758998). The authors’ opinions and conclusions as expressed in this paper are their own and should not be attributed to any of the funding bodies itemized above.

摘要: The rapid emergence of drug-resistant microbial pathogens has posed challenges to global health in the twenty-first century. This development has significantly made most antibiotics ineffective in the treatment of infections they cause, resulting in increasing treatment costs and annual death rates. To address the challenge posed by these pathogens, we explore the potential of secondary metabolites from Aspergillus species as a source of new and effective therapeutic agents to treat drug-resistant infections. Terpenoids, a distinct group of natural products, are extensively distributed in plants and fungi, and have been attributed with significant antibacterial, anticancer, and antiviral activities. In this review, we present an overview of Aspergillus species, and review the novel terpenoids isolated from them from 2019 to April 2024, highlighting anti-infective activity against members of the ESKAPE pathogens. We further focus on the strategies through which the structural framework of these new terpenoids could be modified and/or optimized to feed a pipeline of new lead compounds targeting microbial pathogens. Overall, this review provides insight into the therapeutic applications of terpenoids sourced from Aspergillus species and the potential for the discovery of new compounds from these fungi to combat antimicrobial resistance.

关键词: Antimicrobial resistance, ESKAPE pathogens, Fungi, Secondary metabolites, Anti-infective activities

Abstract: The rapid emergence of drug-resistant microbial pathogens has posed challenges to global health in the twenty-first century. This development has significantly made most antibiotics ineffective in the treatment of infections they cause, resulting in increasing treatment costs and annual death rates. To address the challenge posed by these pathogens, we explore the potential of secondary metabolites from Aspergillus species as a source of new and effective therapeutic agents to treat drug-resistant infections. Terpenoids, a distinct group of natural products, are extensively distributed in plants and fungi, and have been attributed with significant antibacterial, anticancer, and antiviral activities. In this review, we present an overview of Aspergillus species, and review the novel terpenoids isolated from them from 2019 to April 2024, highlighting anti-infective activity against members of the ESKAPE pathogens. We further focus on the strategies through which the structural framework of these new terpenoids could be modified and/or optimized to feed a pipeline of new lead compounds targeting microbial pathogens. Overall, this review provides insight into the therapeutic applications of terpenoids sourced from Aspergillus species and the potential for the discovery of new compounds from these fungi to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Key words: Antimicrobial resistance, ESKAPE pathogens, Fungi, Secondary metabolites, Anti-infective activities