Abstract
The tuberous root of Tinospora sagittata (Oliv.) Gagnep is the
original plant of Traditional Chinese Medicine Tinosporae Radix
(“Jin Guo Lan”), which usually be used to treat pharyngeal arthralgia,
carbuncle furuncle, bacillary dysentery, abdominal pain and
inflammation. Twenty-six clerodane diterpenoids were isolated from
T. sagittata, including 8 new clerodane diterpenoids (tinotanoid
A-H: 1-8), and 18 known ones (9-26).
The absolute configurations of compounds 1, 2,
5, 8, 13, 17 and 20 were
determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 is
the first example of clerodane diterpenoid with a γ lactone ring
which were constructed between C-11 and C-17. Compound 2 and
17 is a pair of epimer. Compounds 2, 12 and
17 showed excellent inhibitory activity on NO production with
IC50 values of 9.56±0.69, 9.11±0.53 and 11.12±0.70 μM, respectively, and
the activities were significantly stronger than the positive control
Minocycline (Mino) (IC50 value was 23.57±0.92 μM). Moreover, compounds
2, 12 and 17 dramatically reduced the expressions of
iNOS and COX-2 up-regulated by LPS treatment. Compounds 2 and
12 can significantly inhibit the levels of pro-inflammatory
cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 that are increased by LPS
stimulation.