A new dihydroisocoumarin (1) and a new coumarin (2), along with eight known metabolites (3-10), were isolated from the solid substrate fermentation cultures of the fungus Penicillium purpurogenum MHZ 111. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison of their spectroscopic and physicochemical data with the literature values. Compounds 2 and 8 showed inhibition of nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated BV-2 microglial cells with IC50 values of 26.5 and 52.7 μM, respectively.
Keywords: Penicillium purpurogenum; anti-neuroinflammatory activity; coumarin; dihydroisocoumarin.