The biotrasformation of the tetrahydrofuran lignan, (-)-grandisin, by the endophitic fungus Phomopsis sp, obtained from Viguiera arenaria, led to the formation of a new compound determined as 3,4-dimethyl-2-(4'-hydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)-5-methoxy-tetrahydrofuran. The metabolite was evaluated against the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas's disease, and showed a trypanocidal activity (IC50 9.8 μmol L-1) similar to the natural precursor (IC50 3.7 μmol L-1).
biotransformation; 2,5-diaryltetrahydrofuran; endophytic fungus; (-)-grandisin; trypanocidal activity
