Bioactive constituents from Chinese natural medicines. XXXIII. Inhibitors from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia on production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages

Abstract

The methanolic extract from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia was found to inhibit production of nitric oxide (NO) in lipopolysaccharide-activated mouse peritoneal macrophages. Among the isolated compounds, bavachinin (IC 50=26 μM), isobavachalcone (17 μM), neobavaisoflavone (ca. 29 μM), corylifol A (ca. 21 μM), and psoralidin (ca. 23 μM) significantly inhibited the accumulation of nitrite (NO2- ) as a marker of production of NO. Bakuchiol, which is mainly contained in the extract, also showed weak activity at 10 μM, but cytotoxic effects were observed more than 30 μM. © 2009 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.