α-Pyrones: Natural Occurrence, Chemistry, and Biological Approaches—An Update

α-Pyrones are naturally occurring unsaturated lactones with promising bioactivities, such as antimicrobial, cytotoxic, anti-tuberculosis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV, and antidiabetic. These kinds of compounds have frequently been reported from different natural sources including fungi, bacteria, and plants. As a reference for further research on α-pyrone derivatives, the chemical structures and biological activities of 268 isolated new α-pyrone derivatives reported in the period from January 2016 to October 2023 were described. During this time, fungi (199), bacteria (34), and plants (35) were the main producers of α-pyrone derivatives.