Viriplanin A, a new anthracycline antibiotic of the nogalamycin group. I. Isolation, characterization, degradation reactions and biological properties.

Viriplanin A, a new anthracycline antibiotic produced by Ampullariella regularis strain SE 47, was isolated from a raw product that demonstrated activity against Herpes simplex viruses. Based on spectroscopic data, the structure of the aglycone, viriplanol, was determined, and the antibiotic was found to contain the sugar moieties 2-deoxy-L-fucose, 4-O-mesaconoyl-L-diginose and decilonitrose. In solution viriplanin A is very unstable to light. The antibiotic belongs to the nogalamycin group and is related to arugomycin and decilorubicin.