Epanorin
Application Notes
Epanorin is a yellow crystalline pigment first isolated by Zopf from the lichen Lecanora epanora in 1900. Epanorin is a member of the pulvinic acid family, with a tetronic acid core bound to the amino acid, L-leucine. Epanorin is synthesised by reacting L-leucine methyl ester with pulvinic acid lactone. Epanorin inhibits the proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and murine myeloma NS-1 cells in vitro, but is inactive against HEK-293 and human fibroblast normal cell lines. Epanorin is modestly active against Giardia duodenalis.
References
- Frank R.L. et al. (1950). The structures and syntheses of rhiizocarpic acid and epanorin. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 72, 4454.
- Palacios‑Moreno J. et al. (2019). Epanorin, a lichen secondary metabolite, inhibits proliferation of MCF‑7 breast cancer cells. Biol Res., 52, 55.
- James P.J.C. et al. (2023). Synthesis, characterization, and bioactivity of the lichen pigments pulvinamide, rhizocarpic acid, and epanorin and congeners. J. Nat. Prod., 86, 550.