Anti-inflammatory compounds from the rhizome of Acorus calamus var. angustatus Besser and their mechanism.

ABSTRACT

Seven compounds, named ß-sitosterol (1), daucosterol (2), (+)-pinoresinol-ß-D-glucoside (3), (-)-syringaresinol 4-O-ß-D-apiofuranosyl-(1→2)- ß-D-glucopyranoside (4), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (5), 2-(3', 4'-dihydroxyphenyl)-1, 3-pepper ring-5-aldehyde (6) and spinosin (7) were isolated from the rhizome of Acorus calamus var. angustatus Besser. 3, 4, 6 and 7 were isolated from this medicinal plant for the first time. Structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties and extensive spectroscopic analysis, as well as by comparison with literature data. The anti-inflammatory activity and related mechanisms of the seven compounds showed that compounds 1-7 all increased the levels of GSH-PX and SOD and decreased the levels of MDA, TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6. Compound 4 showed the best effect of anti-inflammatory and Beclin-1 inhibition. These results suggest that compound 4 has stronger anti-inflammatory effect and provide preliminary evidence that the mechanism of action of compound 4 in attenuating LPS-induced inflammatory damage may be related to the inhibition of Beclin-1-dependent autophagy.