Abstract:
In continuation of research aimed at identifying anti-inflammatory agents from natural sesquiterpenoids, an activity-guided fractionation approach utilizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated RAW264.7 cells was employed to investigate chemical constituents from
Inula Britannica (
I. britannica). Seven novel sesquiterpenoid dimers inulabritanoids A−G (
1−
7) and two novel sesquiterpenoid monomers inulabritanoids H (
8) and I (
9) were isolated from
I. britannica together with eighteen known compounds (
10−
27). The structural elucidation was accomplished through comprehensive analysis of 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, complemented by quantum chemical calculations. Compounds
1,
2,
12,
16,
19, and
26 demonstrated inhibitory effects on NO production, with IC
50 values of 3.65, 5.48, 3.29, 6.91, 3.12, and 5.67 μmol·L
−1, respectively. Mechanistic studies revealed that compound
1 inhibited I
κB kinase β (IKKβ) phosphorylation, thereby blocking nuclear factor
κB (NF-
κB) nuclear translocation, and activated the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signal pathway, leading to decreased expression of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-1β, and IL-1α and increased expression of NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), thus exhibiting anti-inflammatory effects
in vitro. These results indicate that dimeric sesquiterpenoids may serve as promising candidates for anti-inflammatory drug development.