Ascofuranone

Ascofuranone, a compound isolated from the phytopathogenic fungus, Ascochyta visiae, acts as a potent inhibitor of trypanosome alternative oxidase (TAO). (TAO) is the terminal oxidase of the respiratory chain of long slender bloodstream forms of the African trypanosome, which causes sleeping sickness in human and nagana in cattle. Ascofuranone also suppresses EGF-induced HIF-1α protein translation through the inhibition of Akt/mTOR/p70S6 kinase signaling pathways and plays a novel role in the anti-angiogenic action.