DEHYDRODICAFFEIC ACID DILACTONE, AN INHIBITOR OF CATECHOL-O-METHYL TRANSFERASE

Abstract

In the screening of catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors, three compounds were isolated from the culture filtrate of a mushroom, Inonotus sp. One was 3, 4-dihydroxycinnamic acid (caffeic acid) which had been reported as an inhibitor of this enzyme. The others were the dextrorotatory 2, 6-bis-(3', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-3, 7-dioxabicyclo-[3, 3, 0]-octane 4, 8-dione (dehydrodicaffeic acid dilactone) and its antipode. These new compounds inhibited both dopamine β-hydroxylase and dopa decarboxylase and showed hypotensive activity in the SH rat.