*Article* **Secondary Metabolites with Antifungal Activities from Mangrove Derived Fungus** *Monascus purpureus* **WMD2424**

**Ming-Der Wu 1,†, Jih-Jung Chen 2,3,† and Ming-Jen Cheng 4,\***

	- **\***Correspondence: chengfirdi@gmail.com
	- † These authors contributed equally to this work.

**Abstract:** The mold *Monascus*, also called red yeas<sup>t</sup> rice, anka, or koji, has been used as the natural food coloring agen<sup>t</sup> and food additives for more than 1000 years in Asian countries. It has also been used in Chinese herbology and traditional Chinese medicine due to its easing digestion and antiseptic effects. However, under different culture conditions, the ingredients in *Monascus*-fermented products may be changed. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the ingredients, as well as the bioactivities of *Monascus*-derived natural products, is important. Here, through the thorough investigation into the chemical constituents of *M. purpureus* wmd2424, five previously undescribed compounds, monascuspurins A–E (**1**–**5**), were isolated from the EtOAc extract of mangrove-derived fungus *Monascus purpureus* wmd2424 cultured in RGY medium. All the constituents were confirmed via HRESIMS and 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy. Their antifungal activity was also evaluated. Our results showed that four constituents (compounds **3**–**5**) possessed mild antifungal activity against *Aspergillus niger*, *Penicillium italicum*, *Candida albicans*, and *Saccharomyces cerevisiae*. It is worth mentioning that the chemical composition of the type strain *Monascus purpureus* wmd2424 has never been studied.

**Keywords:** *Monascus purpureus* wmd2424; Monascaceae; isoquinoline; antifungal activities
