Inhibitory Effects of Gossypol, Gossypolone, and Apogossypolone on a Collection of Economically Important Filamentous Fungi

Racemic gossypol and its related derivatives gossypolone and apogossypolone demonstrated significant growth inhibition against a diverse collection of filamentous fungi that included Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Aspergillus alliaceus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium moniliforme, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium corylophilum, and Stachybotrys atra. The compounds were tested in a Czapek agar medium at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. Racemic gossypol and apogossypolone inhibited growth by up to 95%, whereas gossypolone effected 100% growth inhibition in all fungal isolates tested except A. flavus. Growth inhibition was variable during the observed time period for all tested fungi capable of growth in these treatment conditions. Gossypolone demonstrated significant aflatoxin biosynthesis inhibition in A. flavus AF13 (B(1), 76% inhibition). Apogossypolone was the most potent aflatoxin inhibitor, showing greater than 90% inhibition against A. flavus and greater than 65% inhibition against A. parasiticus (B(1), 67%; G(1), 68%). Gossypol was an ineffectual inhibitor of aflatoxin biosynthesis in both A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Both gossypol and apogossypolone demonstrated significant inhibition of ochratoxin A production (47%; 91%, respectively) in cultures of A. alliaceus.