Antifungal antibiotics from Calcarisporium thermophilum: a new source of 15-azahomosterol derivatives.

Two antifungal metabolites isolated from Calcarisporium thermophilum were identified as 15-azahomosterols related to the compounds previously isolated from Geotrichum flavo-brunneum. By full spectral comparison with authentic 15-aza-24-methylene-D-homocholesta-8,14-dien-3 beta-ol (A 25822 B) from G. flavo-brunneum, the Calcarisporium metabolites were characterized as the 4 alpha-methyl- and 4,4-dimethyl-analogues of A 25822 B. Several minor members of the series were also detected, and tentatively identified by MS analysis. The 15-azahomosterols exhibited good antifungal activity towards Candida parapsiliosis, though the activities were somewhat lower than that of the 4-demethyl derivative A25822 B. Calcarisporium thermophilum is the second microorganism known to synthesize these unusual 15-azahomosterol derivatives.