Anti-inflammatory constituents of sappan Lignum

Abstract

We performed an in vitro assay for seven compounds from methanolic extract of Sappan Lignum (CSE) that inhibit the chemical mediators of inflammation using the J774.1 cell line: brazilin (1), sappanchalcone (2), proto- sappanin A (3), protosappanin B (4), protosappanin C (5), protosappanin D (6), and protosappanin E (7). Those compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and their suppressive effects on tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA expression. As a result, we clarified that 1 inhibited NO production, and almost no inhibition in PGE2. On the contrary, 2, 6, and 7 inhibited both NO and PGE2 production and suppressed TNF-a, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS mRNA expression. An examination of carrageenin-in- duced mouse paw edema suggested that the CSE contained active compounds other than 1, the main constituent in CSE. It was thus revealed that several compounds and mechanisms contributed to the anti-inflammatory effect of CSE. © 2009 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.