Tolypaxillines A-J: indole diterpenoids with neuroprotective activities from a soil-derived fungus Tolypocladium album DWS131.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Tolypaxillines A-J: indole diterpenoids with neuroprotective activities from a soil-derived fungus Tolypocladium album DWS131.
Authors: Tan YF; Department of Pharmacy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, PR China; The Hunan Institute of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Chen XY; Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Wang C; Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Liang AL; Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, PR China., Lu WY; Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, PR China., Feng LM; Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Huang Q; Department of Pharmacy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, PR China; The Hunan Institute of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Jiang YP; Department of Pharmacy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, PR China; The Hunan Institute of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Liu S; Department of Pharmacy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, PR China; The Hunan Institute of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Xia XB; Eye Center of Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, PR China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Changsha, 410008, PR China., Li J; Department of Pharmacy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disease, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410008, PR China; The Hunan Institute of Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Research, Changsha, 410008, PR China. Electronic address: lijingliyun@csu.edu.cn., Wang WX; Xiangya School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, PR China. Electronic address: wangwenxuan@csu.edu.cn.
Source: Phytochemistry [Phytochemistry] 2026 Jul; Vol. 247, pp. 114855. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Mar 06.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Elsevier Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0151434 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1873-3700 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00319422 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Phytochemistry Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: 2003- : London : Elsevier
Original Publication: 1961-2003: Oxford : Pergamon Press.
MeSH Terms: Diterpenes*/chemistry , Diterpenes*/pharmacology , Diterpenes*/isolation & purification , Neuroprotective Agents*/chemistry , Neuroprotective Agents*/pharmacology , Neuroprotective Agents*/isolation & purification , Indoles*/chemistry , Indoles*/pharmacology , Indoles*/isolation & purification , Hypocreales*/chemistry, Glutamic Acid/pharmacology ; Animals ; Molecular Structure ; Rats ; Soil Microbiology ; Structure-Activity Relationship ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Abstract: Ten previously undescribed indole diterpenoids, tolypaxillines A-J, were isolated from a culture of the soil-derived fungus Tolypocladium album DWS131, along with six known analogs. Their structures were determined by 1D/2D NMR, HRESIMS, electronic circular dichroism calculation, and NMR data comparison with known compounds. Tolypaxilline A, tolypaxilline B, and shearinine PC feature an eight-membered ketoamide ring within a previously unreported 6/8/6/6/6 pentacyclic skeleton. Tolypaxillines C-I are characterized as seven-membered indole diterpenoids featuring a 6/5/5/6/6/6/5 heptacyclic framework. Notably, tolypaxilline J is a rare indole diterpenoid with an eight-membered ketoamide-opening motif. The in vitro neuroprotective activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated using the glutamate-induced R28 cell excitotoxicity model, with compounds tolypaxilline C, tolypaxilline F, paxilline, 7-hydroxypaxilline-13-ene, and PC-M6 showing significant protective effects, among which paxilline was the most potent. Remarkably, paxilline also demonstrated protective activity in the in vivo N-methyl-d-aspartate-induced retinal injury model. Further investigation into the mode of action revealed that paxilline inhibits ferroptosis by modulating the SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway, suggesting its potential as a retinal protective agent.
(Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: Ferroptosis; Indole diterpenoids; Neuroprotective activities; Ophiocordycipitaceae; Tolypocladium album
Substance Nomenclature: 0 (Diterpenes)
0 (Neuroprotective Agents)
0 (Indoles)
3KX376GY7L (Glutamic Acid)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20260309 Date Completed: 20260710 Latest Revision: 20260710
Update Code: 20260711
DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2026.114855
PMID: 41796825
Database: MEDLINE
Description
ISSN:1873-3700
DOI:10.1016/j.phytochem.2026.114855