Anti-inflammatory terpenes from Schefflera rubriflora C. J. Tseng & G. Hoo with their TNF-α and IL-6 inhibitory activities.

The 95% ethanol extract and its EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions obtained from the leaves and twigs of Schefflera rubriflora C. J. Tseng & G. Hoo showed significant inhibitory activities (33.6%, 35.7% and 40.6%, respectively) against croton oil-induced ear inflammation in mice. Bioactivity-guided isolation and separation gave eight previously undescribed terpenes or terpene glycosides. Structural elucidation was based on UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopy, MS, experimental and calculated ECD data, and Mosher's method. To identify anti-inflammatory components from the extract, all the compounds were evaluated for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukine-6 (IL-6) inhibitory activities. Four undescribed compounds inhibited mRNA expression of TNF-α and IL-6 with IC50 values of 15.3-52.4 µM.