Fungal biotransformation of benzo[f]quinoline, benzo[h]quinoline, and phenanthridine.

Cultures of Umbelopsis ramanniana (=Mucor ramannianus) were grown in fluid Sabouraud medium for 3 days, dosed with 0.23 mM benzo[f]quinoline, benzo[h]quinoline, or phenanthridine (benzo[c]quinoline), and incubated for another 18 days. Cultures were extracted and metabolites (66-75% of the UV absorbance) were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. They were identified by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Benzo[f]quinoline was metabolized to benzo[f]quinoline trans-7,8-dihydrodiol, benzo[f]quinoline N-oxide, and 7-hydroxybenzo[f]quinoline, benzo[h]quinoline was metabolized to benzo[h]quinoline trans-5,6-dihydrodiol, benzo[h]quinoline trans-7,8-dihydrodiol, and 7-hydroxybenzo[h]quinoline, and phenanthridine was metabolized to phenanthridine N-oxide and phenanthridin-6(5H)-one. At least one of the metabolites produced from each compound was mutagenic and could not be considered detoxified.