Aromatic Cadinane Sesquiterpenoids from the Fruiting Bodies of Phellinus pini Block SARS-CoV-2 Spike-ACE2 Interaction

J Nat Prod. 2021 Aug 27;84(8):2385-2389. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.1c00426. Epub 2021 Aug 5.

Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 inspires the development of effective inhibitors to block the SARS-CoV-2 spike-ACE2 interaction. A chemical investigation on the fruiting bodies of Phellinus pini led to the isolation of five aromatic cadinane sesquiterpenoids including four new ones, named piniterpenoids A-D (1-4), as well as three known lignans. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis including HRMS and 1D and 2D NMR. All of the aromatic cadinane sesquiterpenoids inhibited the SARS-CoV-2 spike-ACE2 interaction, with IC50 values ranging from 64.5 to 99.1 μM. A molecular docking study showed the disruption of the interaction of compound 1 via hydrogen interactions with Arg403, Asp405, and Arg408 of SARS-CoV-2 RBD and Arg393 and His34 residues of ACE2. These results suggested that aromatic cadinane sesquiterpenoids might be useful in developing agents for COVID-19.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry*
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Bonding / drug effects
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Phellinus / chemistry*
  • Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes / chemistry*
  • Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / drug effects*
  • Sesquiterpenes / chemistry*
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • cadinane
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2