Rapid identification of furanocoumarins in Angelica dahurica using the online LC-MMR-MS and their nitric oxide inhibitory activity in RAW 264.7 cells.

BACKGROUND

Angelica dahurica (Fisch. Ex hoffm.) Benth. Et Hook. is a perennial herb that grows throughout Korea whose dried roots have been used to treat various diseases in Korean traditional medicine. The root extract contains diverse constituents, and it is necessary to determine the active compounds.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory activity in a root extract of A. dahurica and identify the most active compounds using LC-NMR-MS.

METHODS

In search of the anti-inflammatory constituents of A. dahurica extract, the HPLC-based activity profiling approach was used to investigate the extract's NO inhibitory activity. To directly identify the compounds, a hyphenated LC-NMR-MS technique was applied. Reversed-phase isocratic chromatography was performed using the acetonitrile-water solvent system on a C(30) column. The identification of the compounds was based on information from ESI/MS and 1H-NMR.

RESULTS

NO inhibitory activities for five main fractions of the extract were evaluated, which were identified by LC-NMR-MS as containing furanocoumarins: byakangelicol, oxypeucedanin, imperatorin, phellopterin and isoimperatorin.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained showed that the anti-inflammatory activities of A. dahurica could be linked to imperatorin and phellopterin.