Angular-type furocoumarins from the roots of Angelica atropurpurea and their inhibitory activity on the NFAT signal transduction pathway.

One new (1) and two known angular-type (2,3) furocoumarins, isoarchangelicin (1), archangelicin (2), and 2'-angeloyl-3'-isovaleryl vaginate (3), were isolated from the roots of Angelica atropurpurea. The structure of the new compound was established on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectra and other spectroscopic studies. The inhibitory activity of these three compounds and a deacylated form of archangelicin (4) on the nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signal transduction pathway was tested by NFAT-responsive luciferase reporter gene assay in cultured cells. Although 4 did not exhibit inhibitory activity on NFAT signaling, 1-3 exhibited dose-dependent inhibition with IC50 values of 16.5 (1), 9.0 (2), and 9.2 (3) µM.