PURPOSE:To obtain the subject compound for a cosmetic, an agrochemical, a pharmaceutical, etc., having melanin-formation-inhibiting activity against a melanin-producing actinomyces and a melanoma cell and mushroom tyrosinase- inhibiting activity by culturing a specific strain of Trichoderma. CONSTITUTION:Trichoderma 74N7 strain (FERM-P-14050) is inoculated on a medium and this is cultured at 28 deg.C for 7 days under stirring at 120-150rpm to obtain a seed strain. The obtained seed strain is transplanted in a jar- fermenter and this is cultured at 28 deg.C for T day under stirring at 120rpm. The obtained fermentation broth is filtered and the filtrate is extracted with n-butyl acetate. The solvent is removed from the organic phase by a reduced pressure distillation. The dried product is dissolved in a solvent and purified through a silica gel column to finally obtain the objective product. The product comprises an isonitrile compound having a maximum absorption at 208nm in UV spectroscopy (30% methanol solution). This compound has melanin- formation-inhibiting activity against a melanin-producing actinomyces and mushroom tyrosinase-inhibiting activity and useful for a beautifying agent, an agrochemical, an insecticide, a melanoma-curing agent, etc.
