Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tumor-Promoting Effects of Triterpene Acids and Sterols from the Fungus Ganoderma lucidum

Chemistry & Biodiversity, Volume 4, Issue 4, 2007

College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

A series of lanostane-type triterpene acids, including eleven lucidenic acids ( 3, 4, 9, 10, 13 - 19 ) and six ganoderic acids ( 20 - 22, 24, 26, 27 ), as well as six sterols ( 28 - 33 ), all isolated from the fruiting bodies of the fungus Ganoderma lucidum , were examined for their inhibitory effects on the induction of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) by 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells, a known primary screening test for anti-tumor promoters. All of the compounds tested, except for ganolactone ( 27 ) and three sterols ( 29 - 31 ), showed potent inhibitory effects on EBV-EA induction, with IC 50 values of 235-370 mol ratio/32 pmol TPA. In addition, nine lucidenic acids ( 1, 2, 5 - 8, 11, 12, 18 ) and four ganoderic acids ( 20, 23 - 25 ) were found to inhibit TPA-induced inflammation (1 g/ear) in mice, with ID 50 values of 0.07-0.39 mg per ear. Further, 20-hydroxylucidenic acid N ( 18 ) exhibited inhibitory effects on skin-tumor promotion in an in vivo two-stage mouse-skin carcinogenesis test based on 7,12-dimethylbenz[ a ]anthracene (DMBA) as initiator, and with TPA as promoter.

DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.200790027