Title:Dibenzofurans from Lichens – A Pharmacological Overview
Volume: 21
Issue: 26
Author(s): Isabel Ureña-Vacas, Elena González Burgos, Pradeep Kumar Divakar and Maria Pilar Gómez-Serranillos*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Complutense of Madrid, Madrid,Spain
Keywords:
Dibenzofurans, Lichens, Pharmacology, Activities, Secondary metabolites, Orsellinic acid.
Abstract: Lichens are a symbiotic association between a fungus (mycobiont) and a green algae/-
cyanobacterium (photobiont). Lichens are a source of secondary metabolites, most of them being
exclusively for these species, among which dibenzofurans are found. Dibenzofurans are a small
group (over 35 different identified compounds), being usnic acid the most studied. In the last 10
years, there has been a growing interest in the pharmacological activity of dibenzofurans. In this
work, dibenzofurans isolated from lichens (alectosarmentin, condidymic acid, didymic acid, isousnic
acid, isostrepsilic acid, usimines A-C and usnic acid) were reviewed, most of which showed
antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic activities. These findings provide future guidance for research
on pharmacological activity of dibenzofurans.
