Lignans from guaiac resin decrease nitric oxide production in interleukin 1β-treated hepatocytes

• Published in: Journal of natural medicines 2017, Vol.71 (1), p.190-197
• Main Authors: Nakano, Yuki, Nasu, Masaaki, Kano, Mana, Kameoka, Hiroshi, Okuyama, Tetsuya, Nishizawa, Mikio, Ikeya, Yukinobu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Complementary & Alternative Medicine; Cytokines; Guaiac - chemistry; Hepatocytes - drug effects; Herbal medicine; Interleukin-1beta - metabolism; Lignans - pharmacology; Lignans - therapeutic use; Male; Medicinal Chemistry; Nitric oxide; Nitric Oxide - biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Original Paper; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacy; Phytochemicals; Plant Sciences; Rats; Resins, Plant - chemistry
• ISSN: 1340-3443; 1861-0293
• DOI: 10.1007/s11418-016-1048-3

Guaiac resin, extracted from the heartwood of Guaiacum officinale L. or G. sanctum L., is speculated to have anti-inflammatory effects. Lignans were purified from guaiac resin (also known as gum guaiacum) by monitoring the nitric oxide (NO) production in rat hepatocytes treated with an inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Six lignans were purified from guaiac resin and identified as: dehydroguaiaretic acid ( 1 ), (+)- trans -1,2-dihydrodehydroguaiaretic acid ( 2 ), furoguaiaoxidin ( 3 ), meso -dihydroguaiaretic acid ( 4 ), furoguaiacin (i.e., α-guaiaconic acid) ( 5 ), and nectandrin B ( 6 ). To our knowledge, this is the first time that 1 has been isolated from guaiac resin as a non-derivative. Compounds 2 and 6 were first found in guaiac resin. Compound 3 was first isolated from a natural source as a non-derivative. Furthermore, 1 – 6 significantly suppressed NO production in IL-1β-treated hepatocytes. Because anti-inflammatory compounds suppress NO production, this system is often used to measure the anti-inflammatory effects of Kampo drugs and herbal constituents. The NO-suppressing activity of the six lignans isolated in this study indicates that guaiac resin has anti-inflammatory effects and that these lignans may be responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of guaiac resin.