Asperolides A-C, tetranorlabdane diterpenoids from the marine alga-derived endophytic fungus Aspergillus wentii EN-48.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the culture extract of Aspergillus wentii EN-48, an endophytic fungus isolated from an unidentified marine brown algal species of the genus Sargassum, led to the isolation of three new tetranorlabdane diterpenoids, asperolides A-C (1-3), and five related derivatives (4-8). The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic interpretation, and compound 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by application of the modified Mosher's method. An X-ray structure for wentilactone B (6) is also reported. Compounds 1-8 were evaluated for cytotoxic and antibacterial activities.