title: Bioassay guided isolation and identification of anti-inflammatory active compounds from the root of Ficus formosana.
abstract: Activity-directed fractionation and purification processes were employed to identify the anti-inflammatory active compounds using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophage (RAW264.7) in vitro. Air-dried roots of Ficus formosana were extracted with methanol and separated into n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water layers. Among them, the chloroform layer showed strong activity and was subjected to separation and purification by using various chromatographic techniques. Five compounds showing potent activity were identified by comparing spectral data to be β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, psoralen, kaempferol, carpachromene, and syringic aldehyde. When macrophages were treated with psoralen and kaempferol together with LPS, a concentration-dependent inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) productions were detected. Western blotting revealed that kaempferol, psoralen, and carpachromene blocked protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in LPS-stimulated macrophages. The results confirmed that the traditional use of F. formosana could be a potential anti-inflammatory agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Pharmacy, China Medical University , Taichung 404, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Guan-Jhong
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jeng-Shyan
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Shyh-Shyun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Sheng-Yang
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuan-Shiun
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yueh-Hsiung
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001681:Biological Assay; D002460:Cell Line; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000276:immunology; D030681:Ficus / Q000737:chemistry*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2