A NEW SOURCE OF KOJIC ACID ISOLATED FROM KIGELIA AFRICANA : A POSSIBLE PRECURSOR FOR QUINONE BIOSYNTHESIS

Kojic acid (5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-�-pyrone) a fungal metabolite produced by Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp. and belonging mainly to the flavus-oryzaetamarii groups was isolated for the first time from Kigelia africana as the major constituent by mass fragmentation guided isolation. From a biosynthetic consideration, Kojic acid is a possible intermediate in the synthesis of the quinone scaffolds.