Trichothecenes are a very large family of chemically related
mycotoxins produced by various species of
Fusarium,
Myrothecium,
Trichoderma,
Trichothecium,
Cephalosporium,
Verticimonosporium, and
Stachybotrys. Trichothecenes belong to
sesquiterpene compounds. The most important structural features causing the biological activities of trichothecenes are: the 12,13-epoxy ring, the presence of hydroxyl or acetyl groups at appropriate positions on the trichothecene nucleus and the structure and position of the side-chain. They are produced on many different grains like wheat, oats or maize by various
Fusarium species such as
F. graminearum,
F. sporotrichioides,
F. poae and
F. equiseti.
