Trichothecene

Trichothecenes constitute a large group of chemically related mycotoxins. They are produced by fungi of the genera Fusarium, Myrothecium, Trichoderma, Podostroma, Trichothecium, Cephalosporium, Verticimonosporium and Stachybotrys. Chemically, trichothecenes are a class of sesquiterpenes.

All trichothecenes share a cyclic terpene core but differ in the type of functional groups (R groups) attached to the carbon backbone. They are produced on many different grains such as wheat, oats, or maize by various Fusarium species including F. graminearum, F. sporotrichioides, F. poae, and F. equiseti.

Some moulds that produce trichothecene mycotoxins, such as Stachybotrys chartarum, can grow in damp indoor environments. It has been found that macrocyclic trichothecenes produced by S. chartarum can become airborne and thus contribute to health problems in humans. A poisonous mushroom native to Japan and China, Trichoderma cornu-damae (syn. Podostroma cornu-damae), contains six trichothecenes, including satratoxin H, roridin E, and verrucarin A.

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