cephalosporium roseum

Cephalosporium roseum (now taxonomically classified as Trichothecium roseum) is a filamentous fungus primarily recognized in pharmacology as the biological source of the antifungal and antibiotic compound trichothecin. While often confused with Acremonium chrysogenum (formerly Cephalosporium acremonium), which is the source of cephalosporin antibiotics, C. roseum produces distinct metabolites, including rosonolactone and various trichothecenes. In certain traditional and homeopathic practices, preparations derived from the fungus are used to treat various infections and inflammatory conditions, although it is not a standard pharmaceutical agent in modern allopathic medicine. Its primary bioactive constituent, trichothecin, acts by inhibiting eukaryotic protein synthesis through interference with the peptidyl transferase activity on the 60S ribosomal subunit.

Other names

Trichothecium roseum