New polyacetylene glucosides from the florets of Carthamus tinctorius and their weak anti-inflammatory activities.

Eight new linear polyacetylene glucosides (1-8), containing two C(10)-, one C(13)- and five C(14)-acetylenes, together with three known polyacetylenes (9-11) were isolated from the florets of Carthamus tinctorius L. Their structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods and chemical evidence. The absolute configurations of compounds 3-9 were confirmed by Snatzke and Gerards's method, observing the induced circular dichroism after addition of dirhodium tetrakis (trifluoroacetate) [Rh(2)(OCOCF(3))(4)] in CHCl(3). All the isolated compounds (1-11) were also tested for inhibitory activities against LPS-induced NO production in murine macrophages and just showed weak activities at concentrations of 1×10(-5)M.