Lucidenic acids P and Q, methyl lucidenate P, and other triterpenoids from the fungus Ganoderma lucidum and their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus activation.

A new triterpene acid, lucidenic acid P (1a), and two new triterpene acid methyl esters, methyl lucidenates P (1b) and Q (2b), were isolated and characterized from the fruiting body of the fungus Ganoderma lucidum. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods. In addition, eight known triterpene acids, lucidenic acids A (3a), C (4a), D(2) (5a), E(2) (6a), and F (7a) and ganoderic acids E (9a), F (10a), and T-Q (11a), and six known triterpene acid methyl esters, methyl lucidenates A (3b), D(2) (5b), E(2) (6b), F (7b), and L (8b) and methyl ganoderate F (10b), were isolated and identified from the fungus. All of the triterpenoids, with the exception of 7a, were evaluated with respect to their inhibitory effects on the induction of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells, which is known to be a primary screening test for antitumor promoters. All of the compounds tested showed potent inhibitory effects on EBV-EA induction (96-100% inhibition at 1 x 10(3) mol ratio/TPA).