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Appl Environ Microbiol. 1975 July; 30(1): 26-28
Copyright © 1975 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Emodin, a Toxic Metabolite of Aspergillus wentii Isolated from Weevil-Damaged Chestnuts

^* Southeastern Fruit and Tree Nut Research Station, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Byron, Georgia 31008, and National Peanut Research Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dawson, Georgia 31742

ABSTRACT

A diarrheagenic toxin from culture extracts of Aspergillus wentii Wehmer isolated from weevil-damaged Chinese chestnuts was identified as emodin (2-methyl-4,5,7-trihydroxyanthraquinone). The orange-red, crystalline toxin (mp 255 to 257 C) showed ultraviolet absorption maxima in ethyl alcohol at 223, 250, 267, 290, and 442 nm, and infrared absorption maxima at 3,400 cm^-1 (OH), 1,635, and 1,625 cm^-1. Chemical shifts and coupling constants of the proton magnetic resonance spectra of the A. wentii toxin and of authentic emodin agreed. Mean lethal dose of emodin orally administered to 1 day old DeKalb cockerels was 3.7 mg/kg.