Asperlicin
Encyclopedia
Asperlicin is a mycotoxin
, derived from the fungus Aspergillus alliaceus. It acts as a selective antagonist for the cholecystokinin receptor
CCKA
, and has been used as a lead compound
for the development of a number of novel CCKA antagonists with potential clinical applications.
Mycotoxin
A mycotoxin is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of the fungus kingdom, commonly known as molds. The term ‘mycotoxin’ is usually reserved for the toxic chemical products produced by fungi that readily colonize crops...
, derived from the fungus Aspergillus alliaceus. It acts as a selective antagonist for the cholecystokinin receptor
Cholecystokinin receptor
Cholecystokinin receptors or CCK receptors are a group of G-protein coupled receptors which bind the peptide hormones cholecystokinin or gastrin...
CCKA
Cholecystokinin A receptor
The extracellular, N-terminal, domain of this protein adopts a tertiary structure consisting of a few helical turns and a disulfide-cross linked loop...
, and has been used as a lead compound
Lead compound
A lead compound in drug discovery is a chemical compound that has pharmacological or biological activity and whose chemical structure is used as a starting point for chemical modifications in order to improve potency, selectivity, or pharmacokinetic parameters.Lead compounds are often found in...
for the development of a number of novel CCKA antagonists with potential clinical applications.