Ascochlorin is a fungal isoprenoid metabolite that disrupts mitochondrial respiration and is studied in antiviral and anticancer research.
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Ascochlorin is an isoprenoid antibiotic originally isolated from Ascochyta viciae. Structurally resembling ubiquinone derivatives, it modulates mitochondrial electron transport and has been reported to interfere with respiratory chain function. Ascochlorin exhibits diverse biological activities, including antiviral effects, induction of apoptosis or caspase-independent necroptosis in immune and tumor cells, and inhibition of adipogenesis via modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. These multifunctional properties position ascochlorin as a pleiotropic natural product with potential applications in cancer, metabolic disease, and antiviral research.