Microbial transformation of the sweet sesquiterpene (+)-hernandulcin

  • Yang, Hyun-Ju (College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Kim, Hyun-Jung (College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Whang, Yun-Ae (College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Choi, Jung-Kap (College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University) ;
  • Lee, Ik-Soo (College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University)
  • Published : 1999.09.01

Abstract

(+)-Hernandulcin is a sweet bisabolane-type sesquiterpene first isolated from Lippia dulcis Trev. (Verbenaceae). This oily compound is 1000-1500 times sweeter than sucrose but with poor solubility in water. Microbial transformation was employed to improve its water solubility, and a variety of microorganisms were screened for their ability to convert (+)-hernandulcin to more polar metabolites. Scale-up fermentation with Glomerella cinguiata, a fungal strain, has resulted in the isolation of a more polar metabolite (2).

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