One new 8-O-4' neolignan has been isolated from Epimedium pseudowushanese B. L. Guo, together with nine other known neolignans. The structures of these neolignans were elucidated using spectroscopic and chemical techniques, and their anti-inflammatory activities were also evaluated. The results of these experiments revealed that compound 6 was the most potent of the 10 different compounds tested in the current study, with a maximal inhibitory ratio of 79% for its in vitro anti-inflammatory activity towards lipopolysaccharide-induced tumour necrosis factor alpha secretion in RAW264.7 cells. The other nine compounds exhibited only moderate inhibitory effects.
Keywords: Epimedium pseudowushanese B. L. Guo; anti-inflammatory activity; neolignan.