Anti-inflammatory Activity of Constituents Isolated from Aerial Part of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa

• Published in: Phytotherapy research 2015-12, Vol.29 (12), p.1956-1963
• Main Authors: Uto, Takuhiro, Tung, Nguyen Huu, Taniyama, Risa, Miyanowaki, Tosihide, Morinaga, Osamu, Shoyama, Yukihiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 4-Butyrolactone - analogs & derivatives; 4-Butyrolactone - isolation & purification; 4-Butyrolactone - pharmacology; aerial part; Angelica - chemistry; Angelica acutiloba; Animals; anti-inflammation; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - isolation & purification; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Benzofurans - isolation & purification; Benzofurans - pharmacology; Dinoprostone - metabolism; Diynes - isolation & purification; Diynes - pharmacology; Fatty Alcohols - isolation & purification; Fatty Alcohols - pharmacology; Furocoumarins - isolation & purification; Furocoumarins - pharmacology; Heme Oxygenase-1 - metabolism; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Lipopolysaccharides; macrophages; Macrophages - drug effects; Mice; Molecular Structure; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Phytochemicals - isolation & purification; Phytochemicals - pharmacology; Plant Components, Aerial - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Roots - chemistry; Plants, Medicinal - chemistry; RAW 264.7 Cells; tokiaerialide; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Z-ligustilide
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5490

Recently, the resources of medicinal plants have been exhausting. The root of Angelica acutiloba is one of the most important ingredients in Japanese Kampo medicine for the treatment of gynecological diseases. In our search for alternative medicinal plant resources of the root of A. acutiloba, we found that its aerial part has the anti‐inflammatory potency as well as the root. Phytochemical investigation of the aerial part resulted in the isolation of four compounds including a new dimeric phthalide, namely tokiaerialide (2), along with Z‐ligustilide (1), falcarindiol (3), and bergaptol (4). Next, we investigated the in vitro anti‐inflammatory activity of 1–4 in lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated RAW264 macrophages. Among the isolated compounds, 1 exhibited the most potent inhibition against lipopolysaccharide‐induced production of prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide, and pro‐inflammatory cytokines (interleukin‐6 and tumor necrosis factor‐α). Compounds 3 and 4 also inhibited all inflammatory mediators, but their inhibitory abilities were weaker than those of 1. Furthermore, 1, 3, and 4 strongly also induced heme oxygenase‐1. These results suggest that 1, 3, and 4 potentially exert anti‐inflammatory activity, and the aerial part of A. acutiloba may be considered to be a useful medicinal resource for inflammatory diseases. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.