Triterpenoid saponins of Pulsatilla koreana root have inhibition effects of tumor necrosis factor-α secretion in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells.

In the present study, a new oleanane-type triterpenoid saponin, pulsatilloside F (1), along with 21 known compounds (2-22), were isolated from the root of Pulsatilla koreana. Their chemical structures were elucidated by mass, (1)H-, (13)C-NMR, correlation spectroscopy (COSY), heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC) and heteronuclear multiple bond connectivity (HMBC) spectroscopy. Anti-inflammatory effects of the compounds were evaluated in terms of inhibitory of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) secretion in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine RAW264.7 macrophage cell line. Compounds 19 and 20 exhibited particularly inhibitory effects with respective IC50 values of 0.32 and 0.65 µm. Compounds 1-4, 7 and 10-13 exhibited inhibitory effects with inhibition rates up to 41.55-73.76% at a concentration of 5 µm, respectively.