Aspergillimide is a fungal metabolite originally isolated from A. japonicus.1 It reduces nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) peak and slowly-desensitizing amplitudes induced by acetylcholine in silkworm (B. mori) larval neurons (IC50s = 20.2 and 39.6 nM, respectively) but has no effect on chicken α3β4-, α4β2-, and α7-containing nAChRs.2 Dietary administration of aspergillimide A (10 μg/g of diet) induces paralysis in silkworm fourth instar larvae.1 Aspergillimide A (10 and 20 mg/kg) reduces T. colubriformis fecal egg count in gerbils.3
References
1. Hayashi, H., Nishimoto, Y., Akiyama, K., et al. New paralytic alkaloids, asperparalines A, B and C, from Aspergillus japonicus JV-23. Biosci. Biotechnol. Biochem. 64(1), 111-115 (2000).
2. Hirata, K., Kataoka, S., Furutani, S., et al. A fungal metabolite asperparaline a strongly and selectively blocks insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors: The first report on the mode of action. PLoS One 6(4), e18354 (2011).
3. Banks, R.M., Blanchflower, S.E., Everett, J.R., et al. Novel anthelmintic metabolites from an Aspergillus species; the aspergillimides. J. Antibiot. (Tokyo) 50(10), 840-846 (1997).