title: In vitro study for inhibition of NO production about constituents of Sappan Lignum.
abstract: In the course of our screening, we found that the methanolic extract of Sappan Lignum showed strong activity against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production by macrophages in vitro. As it was reported that Brazilin inhibited inducible NO gene, we conducted to similar tests for six known compounds isolated from Sappan Lignum, namely, brazilein, sappanchalcone, protosappanin A, protosappanin B, protosappanin C besides brazilin. And six compounds were also subjected to six tests to speculate their properties: (1) inhibition of NO production by cultured J774.1 (macrophage-like) cell line, (2) suppression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) gene expression, (3) inhibition of NO production by murine peritoneal macrophages, (4) DPPH radical scavenging activity, (5) reduction of ferric ion and (6) antioxidant activity. Brazilein and sappanchalcone showed significant inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production by J774.1 cell line like Brazilin; 100% inhibition at 30 microM in test (1) and at 10 microM in test (3). The mechanisms underlying the inhibition of NO production by the compounds were investigated in test (2). As a result, brazilin was found to almost completely suppress iNOS gene expression at 100 microM as reported, and brazilein and sappanchalcone also suppressed iNOS gene expression. But strong activities were not observed for protosappanins A, B and C. So, we conducted tests (4), (5) and (6) to investigate other properties about six compounds. Protosappanin A and Brazilin demonstrated high antioxidant activity compared with Vitamin E in tests (4) and (5). Protosappanin A and B inhibited the oxidation of linoleic acid in test (6). Among the dibenzoxocin derivatives, only protosappanin C did not show significant activity in all the tests. We found that sappanchalcone showed same activity as brazilin, and six compounds isolated from Sappan Lignum showed various properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Plant Sciences, Hoshi University, Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagumo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001578:Benzopyrans / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D047188:Chalcones / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D007887:Fabaceae; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D007192:Indenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D001578:Benzopyrans; D047188:Chalcones; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D007192:Indenes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; C090723:protosappanin A; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C050295:brazilein; C044363:sappanchalcone; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; C044362:brazilin