Trichothecene

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

All trichothecenes share a cyclicterpene 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.

Trichoderma cornu-damae (syn.Podostroma cornu-damae), a mushroom native to Asia, contains potentially fatal levels of satratoxin H.