(24S)-3-BETA-HYDROXY-ERGOST-5-EN-6-ONE FROM CYTTARIA-JOHOWII

Fruit bodies of Cyttaria johowii which were often consumed by Amerindi ans were investigated for their secondary metabolites. Nine different sterols and sterones with the ergostane skeleton were found. The main components were dihydrobrassicasterol, ergost-4-en-3-one and (24S)-3 b eta-hydroxyergost-5-en-6-one. Since for the closely related (24R)-3 be ta-hydroxyergost-5-en-6-one cytostatic activity was reported and cytot oxic polysaccharides were already found in Cyttaria spp., the ethnopha rmacological implications are briefly discussed.