Transformation of ergosterol peroxide to cytotoxic substances by rat intestinal bacteria

Biol Pharm Bull. 2008 May;31(5):949-54. doi: 10.1248/bpb.31.949.

Abstract

Ergosterol peroxide (EPO, 1) is a major antitumor sterol produced by edible or medicinal mushrooms. Following oral administration of 1 to rats or anaerobic in vitro incubation of 1 with rat fecal bacteria, three metabolites were detected and their structures were identified to be 5alpha,6alpha-epoxyergosta-8(14),22-diene-3beta,7alpha-diol (M1, 2), 5alpha,6alpha-epoxyergosta-8,22-diene-3beta,7alpha-diol (M2, 3), and 5alpha,6alpha-epoxy-3beta-hydroxyergosta-22-ene-7-one (M3, 4) by spectroscopic analysis. Of these, M2 and M3 showed more potent inhibitory activity than the original compound 1 against proliferation of CACO-2, WiDr, DLD-1 and Colo320 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. These findings suggest that bacterial metabolites of EPO play a significant role in its cytotoxic activity against human colorectal cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Cytotoxins / metabolism*
  • Ergosterol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ergosterol / metabolism
  • Feces / chemistry
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Intestines / microbiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Rats

Substances

  • Cytotoxins
  • ergosterol-5,8-peroxide
  • Ergosterol