Abstract

Background: Acremonium fungi have been isolated from various sources, such as soil, plants, and marine organisms.

Method: The species in Acremonium have been proved to be rich sources of novel and bioactive secondary metabolites. Up to now, 356 metabolites belonging to steroids (6 compounds), terpenoids (86), meroterpenoids (66), polyketides (89), alkaloids (28), peptides (75), and miscellaneous types (6) have been isolated from Acremonium fungi. These metabolites displayed a wide range of biological activities including antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antitumor, immunosuppressive, antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antimalarial, phytotoxic, tremorgenic, antiviral, neuritogenic, insecticidal and enzymesinhibiting activities.

Conclusion: This review highlights the structures and bioactivities of the secondary metabolites from Acremonium fungi reported until July 2016.

Keywords: Acromonium fungi, alkaloids, bioactivities, β-lactam antibiotic, marine organisms, secondary metabolites.