New Lignans from Antidesma hainanensis Inhibit NO Production in BV2 Microglial Cells.

Two new lignans (7S,7'R,8S,8'R)-3,3'-dimethoxy-7,7'-epoxylignan-4,4',9-triol 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 9-O-formylaviculin (2) together with other thirteen known secondary metabolites were isolated from the leaves of Antidesma hainanensis. Their chemical structures were determined using NMR, electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic methods, and as well as by comparison with those reported in the literature. Neuro-inflammatory activity of isolated compounds was evaluated by their inhibition on nitric oxide (NO) production in activated BV2 microglial cells. At concentration of 40 µM, compounds 1-3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 14, and 15 exhibited inhibitory effects over 50%, suggesting that they could be potential candidate drugs for the cure of neuro-inflammation. In addition, compounds 1, 8, 14, and 15 significantly inhibited 16.23, 27.76, 21.23, and 29.44% NO production at diluted concentration as low as 2.5 µM.