Cyperane-Type and Related (Nor)Sesquiterpenoids from the Root Bark of Acanthopanax gracilistylus and Their Inhibitory Effects on Nitric Oxide Production

J Nat Prod. 2020 May 22;83(5):1453-1460. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.9b00913. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Abstract

An enantiomeric pair of rare cyperane-type sesquiterpenoids, (+)- and (-)-gracilistones C (1a, 1b), together with a novel norsesquiterpenoid, gracilistone D (2), bearing a bicyclic lactone system were isolated from the root bark of Acanthopanax gracilistylus using LC-MS-IT-TOF analyses. The structures and absolute configurations of 1a, 1b, and 2 were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and ECD spectroscopic methods. Intermediate 1b suggests a possible biosynthesis process involving compound 2. The bioassay results showed that compounds 1a, 1b, and 2 exhibited significant inhibitory effects against lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells, with IC50 values of 7.7 ± 0.6, 6.8 ± 1.5, and 2.6 ± 0.4 μM, respectively. Additional docking analyses provided some perspective of this activity in human inducible nitric oxide synthase.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Araliaceae / chemistry*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nitric Oxide / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Plant Bark / chemistry*
  • RAW 264.7 Cells
  • Sesquiterpenes / chemistry*
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Nitric Oxide
  • NOS2 protein, human
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II