The phytochemical investigation on the fruits of Eleutherococcus henryi (Araliaceae) resulted in the discovery of three novel monoterpene glycosides, eleuhenryiside A (1), eleuhenryiside B (2), and eleuhenryiside C (3), as well as a known lignan, (-)-kobusin (4). Their chemical structures were elucidated by mass, 1 D- and 2 D-NMR spectroscopy. The chemical structures of new compounds 1-3 were determined to be (2E,6R)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-2,7-octadien-1-yl-(6'-O-acetyl)-O-β-glucopyranoside, (2Z,6R)-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-2,7-octadien-1-yl-(6'-O-acetyl)-O-β-glucopyranoside, and (-)-(4 R)-4,7-dihydroxy-1-menthene 7-O-β-glucopyranoside, respectively. The anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds were evaluated with LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia and RAW264.7 macrophage, respectively. The results showed that new compounds 1 and 3 have inhibitory effects of NO production with IC50 values of 32.50 ± 1.60 and 3.54 ± 0.20 μM in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglia. Also, (-)-kobusin (4) has abilities to inhibit NO production with the IC50 values of 14.25 ± 2.69 and 36.35 ± 6.27 μM in BV2 and RAW264.7 cells, respectively, which indicated that it may possess the potential anti-neuroinflammatory and anti-inflammatory activities.
Keywords: Araliaceae; Eleutherococcus henryi; eleuhenryiside A; eleuhenryiside B; eleuhenryiside C; monoterpenoid glycosides.