Distribution of tetracyclic triterpenoids of lanostane group and sterols in the higher fungi especially of the polyporaceae and related families

Abstract The fruit bodies of 97 species of wood-rotting fungi, mainly of Polyporaceae and related families, were examined for the distribution of triterpenes and sterols. Triterpene acids of lanostane group were detected exclusively from the fungi causing brown-rot of woods, while sterols were found to occur commonly in both brown-rot and white-rot fungi. The most abundant sterol was found to be ergosta-7,22-dien-3β-ol. The presence and absence of the triterpene acids is discussed from the point of view of fungal phylogeny.