Chemical investigations and cytotoxic effects of metabolites from Antrodia camphorata against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Antrodia camphorata is used as a medicinal fungus in Taiwan to treat fatigue, food intoxication, and enhance liver function. Here we identified fermented metabolic components from the mycelium of A. camphorata KH37 and explored their anti-hepatoma potentials with study models of human hepatoblastoma cell lines. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the solid fermentation powder of A. camphorata KH37 led to the isolation of one new quinonol, antroquinonol Z (1), and nine known compounds (2–10). Treatment with 10 μM antrocamols LT1 (2) or LT3 (3) reduced cell viability of HepG2 and Huh-7 cells to about 60% in 48 hours. Antroquinonol Z (1) exhibited mild cytotoxicity against Huh-7 cells in 48 and 72 hours. Interestingly, two fractions showed cytotoxicity in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells, even better than compounds isolated from these fractions. The significant cytotoxicity of partially purified samples from A. camphorata KH37 exhibited a potential for developing alternative or complementary therapeutics against hepatoma.