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. 2025 Jan 24;15(1):13. doi: 10.1007/s13659-024-00493-5

Table 4.

In vitro studies of bioactive compounds isolated from marine fungi between 2019 and 2023

Compound name Class of compound Marine source Type of cancer Pharmacological effects Mechanism References
Preussin (39) Pyrrolidine alkaloid Aspergillus candidus KUFA 0062 Breast cancer

Model: breast cancer cell lines (SKBR3, MCF7, and MDA-MB-231)

Assay: MTT, resazurin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and proliferative (5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine)

IC50: NR

Positive control: NR

Morphological study of preussin-exposed cells revealed cell death [43]
Oleamide (40) amide Fatty acid Penicillium sp. ArCSPf Breast cancer

Model: MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Assay: MTT

IC50: 22.8 µg/mL

Positive control: NR

[44]
Penicindopene A (41) Indole diterpene Penicillium sp. YPCMAC1 Lung cancer

Model: A549 and HeLa cell

Assay: MTT

IC50: 15.2 and 20.5 µM, respectively

Positive control: 5-fluorouracil

Not reported [45]
Conidiogenol D (42) Tetracyclic diterpenes Penicillium sp. Oesophageal cancer

Model: esophageal cancer cell lines (EC109, EC9706, KYSE30, KYSE70, and KYSE450)

Assay: MTT

IC50:36 to 54 μM

Positive control: Cisplatin

Not reported [46]
Conidiogenone C (43) Diterpenoid Penicillium sp. Oesophageal cancer

Model: esophageal cancer cell lines (EC109, EC9706, KYSE30, KYSE70, and KYSE450)

Assay: MTT

IC50:27to 42 μM

Positive control: Cisplatin

Not reported [46]
Meleagrin (44) Indole alkaloid Penicillium sp. Oesophageal cancer

Model: esophageal cancer cell lines (EC109, EC9706, KYSE30, KYSE70, and KYSE450)

Assay: MTT

IC50:25 to 40 μM

Positive control: Cisplatin

Not reported [46]
Glandicoline B (45) Indole alkaloid Penicillium sp. Oesophageal cancer

Model: esophageal cancer cell lines (EC109, EC9706, KYSE30, KYSE70, and KYSE450)

Assay: MTT

IC50:30 to 55 μM

Positive control: Cisplatin

Not reported [46]
Pyrenosetin D (46) Pentacyclic decalinoyl-spirotetramic acid Pyrenochaetopsis FVE-087 Skin cancer

Model: human malignant melanoma cell line (A-375)

Assay: CellTiterBlue Cell Viability Assay IC50: 77.5 μM Positive control: Doxorubicine

Not reported [47]
Wakodecaline A (47) Decaline metabolites Pyrenochaetopsis FVE-087 Skin cancer

Model: human malignant melanoma cell line (A-375)

Assay: CellTiterBlue Cell Viability Assay IC50: not active

Positive control: Doxorubicine

Not reported [47]
Wakodecaline B (48) Decaline metabolites Pyrenochaetopsis FVE-087 Skin cancer

Model: human malignant melanoma cell line (A-375)

Assay: CellTiterBlue Cell Viability Assay IC50: not active

Positive control: Doxorubicine

Not reported [47]
Aspergilsmin C (49) Polyketides Aspergillus giganteus NTU967 Liver and prostate cancer

Model: human hepatocellular carcinoma SK-Hep-1 cells in addition to prostate cancer PC-3 cells

Assay: SRB

IC50: 2.7 ± 0.2 and 7.3 ± 0.3 μM

Positive control: Paclitaxel

Not reported [48]
Patulin (50)/ Polyketide lactone Aspergillus giganteus NTU967 Liver and prostate cancer

Model: human hepatocellular carcinoma SK-Hep-1 cells in addition to prostate cancer PC-3 cells

Assay: SRB

IC50: 2.7–7.3 μM

Positive control: Paclitaxel

Not reported [48]
(−)-Hyalodendrin (51) Epi-dithiodioxopiperazine Paradendryphiella salina PC 362H Breast cancer

Model: MCF7

Assay: MTT

IC50: 0.1 μM

Positive control: hydroxy tamoxifen

MCF7-Sh-WISP2 cells with (-)-hyalodendrin induced alterations in the phosphorylation state of p53 and changed the expression of HSP70, HSP60 and PRAS40 proteins [49]
Purpuride G (52) Drimane sesquiterpenoids Penicillium minioluteum ZZ1657 Brain cancer

Model: human glioma U257 U87MG cell lines,

Assay: MTT

IC50: 4.5 and 10.9 μM

Positive control: -

Not reported [51]
Asperphenin A (53) Lipopeptidyl benzophenone metabolite Penicillium sp. Colon cancer

Model: RKO colon cancer cells

Assay: sulforhodamine B (SRB)

IC50: 0.8 μM

Positive control: Etoposide

Asperphenin A stopped the growth of colon cancer cells via G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. In addition to its impact on cell cycle, asperphenin A triggered reactive oxygen species [52]
Waikikiamide A (54) Diketopiperazine Dimer Aspergillus sp. FM242 Diverse

Model: HT1080, Pc3, Jurkat and A2780S

Assay: MTT

IC50: 0.6 to 1.8 μM

Positive control: taxol

Not reported [53]
Waikikiamide C (55) Diketopiperazine Dimer Aspergillus sp. FM242 Diverse

Model: HT1080, Pc3, Jurkat and A2780S

Assay: MTT

IC50: 1.1 to 1.8 μM

Positive control: taxol

Not reported [53]
(3S,6S)-3,6-dibenzylpiperazine-2,5-dione (56) Dibenzylpiperazines Paecilomyces formous 17D47-2 Pancreatic Cancer

Model: human pancreatic carcinoma PANC-1 cells

Assay: MTT

IC50: 28 µM

Positive control: taxol

Not reported [54]
Penilactonol A (57) Pentaketide Penicillium chrysogenum LD-201810 Diverse

Model: human carcinoma cell lines (BT-549, A549, HepG2, HeLa, THP-1, and MCF-7)

Assay: MTT

IC50: 22.0 μM against HepG2

Positive control: taxol

Not reported [55]
Bisabolane (58) Sesquiterpenes Penicillium chrysogenum LD-201810 Diverse

Model: human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line A549, human cervix carcinoma cell line HeLa, human breast cancer cell line BT-549, human liver carcinoma cell line HepG2, and human monocytic cell line THP-1, and human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7

Assay: MTT

IC50: 21.2 and 18.2 μM against A549 and THP-1 cell lines

Positive control: Epirubicin

Not reported [55]
1′-Hydroxy-4′,8,8′-trimethoxy[2,2′]binaphthalenyl-1,4-dione (59) Quinones Hypoxylon rubiginosum FS521 Diverse

Model: SF-268, FS521, MCF-7, A549, and HepG-2 tumor cell lines

Assay: SRB

IC50: 1.8, 2.5, 3.2, and 5.1 mM against SF-268, HepG-2, MCF-7, and A549 cell lines, respectively

Positive control: cisplatin

Not reported [56]