Metabolic products of microorganisms. 185. The anthraquinones of the Aspergillus glaucus group. I. Occurrence,isolation, identification and antimicrobial activity

The occurrence of emodin, erythroglaucin, physcion, physcion-9-anthrone, questin, catenarin, and catenarin-8-methyl ether in different species of the Aspergillus glaucus group (genus Eurotium) was investigated. So far catenarin-8-methyl ether (1, 4, 6-trihydroxy-8-methoxy-3-methylanthraquinone) has not been described as a natural product; it was therefore given the name rubrocristin. The chemical and physical properties of rubrocristin are reported. In addition a new violet pigment (C₁₆H₁₂O₅) was isolated and characterized by its MS-, IR- and UV-spectra.The antimicrobial properties of all substances were examined in the agar diffusion assay. Gram-positive bacteria were the most sensitive organisms and catenarin was the most active naturally occurring substance. Synthetically obtained 1, 4, 6, 8-tetrahydroxy-anthraquinone was slightly more active than catenarin, whereas rubrocristin showed no antibacterial activity.Abbreviations MIC Minimal inhibitory concentration - TLC Thin layer chromatography - PTLC Preparative thin layer chromatography Metabolic products of microorganisms. 184. H. Anke: On the mode of action of cladosporin. J. Antibiotics 32, 952–958 (1979)