Anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities of three new chromone derivatives from the marine-derived penicillium citrinum

Three new and uncommon chromone analogs, epiremisporine F (1), epiremisporine G (2), and epiremisporine H (3), were isolated from marine-origin Penicillium citrinum. Among the isolated compounds, compounds 2–3 remarkably suppressed fMLP-induced superoxide anion generation by human neutrophils, with IC₅₀ values of 31.68 ± 2.53, and 33.52 ± 0.42 µM, respectively. Compound 3 exhibited cytotoxic activities against human colon carcinoma (HT-29) and non-small lung cancer cell (A549) with IC₅₀ values of 21.17 ± 4.89 and 31.43 ± 3.01 µM, respectively, and Western blot assay confirmed that compound 3 obviously induced apoptosis of HT-29 cells, via Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase 3 signaling cascades.