A new diphenyl ether (1) as well as 20 other compounds were identified from the fermentative extracts of marine-derived fungi Phoma sp. CZD-F11 (Compounds 1-8) and Aspergillus sp. CZD-F18(Compounds 9-21). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis. The broth extracts of the fungi exhibited very good anticancer activity against H1975 cells with 5.62 and 25.8% viability at concentration of 10 μg/mL for Phoma sp. CZD-F11 and Aspergillus sp. CZD-F18, respectively. The inhibitory activity of all compounds against PC-3 cell lines, BRD4 and aromatase were evaluated. The results showed compound 7 exhibited moderate anticancer activity with 66.1% inhibition against PC-3 cell lines at the concentration of 10 μg/mL. Compound 7 and 8 exhibited favourable BRD4 inhibitory activity with 78.5 and 76.4% inhibition at the concentration of 10 μg/mL.
Keywords: BRD 4; Marine-derived fungi; anticancer; aromatase activity; diphenyl ether.