A glycosyl analogue of diacylglycerol and other antiinflammatory constituents from Inula viscosa.

Some extracts from Inula viscosa were examined for acute antiinflammatory activity in vivo. Three flavonoids: rhamnocitrin (1), 7-O-methylaromadendrin (3), and 3-O-acetylpadmatin (4); a sesquiterpene lactone, inuviscolide (2); a sesquiterpene acid, ilicic acid (5); and a digalactosyl-diacylglycerol, inugalactolipid A (6), were isolated from the CH2Cl2 extract, identified by spectroscopic methods, and characterized as the topical antiinflammatory principles of this species. All these compounds proved to be effective against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced ear edema in mice, although lacking activity against arachidonic acid-induced edema. In addition, compounds 5 and, markedly, 6 showed notable effects on a multiple-dose murine chronic dermatitis model. This is the first attempt to establish a rationale concerning the documented use of the plant on various skin diseases.