UV-guided separation of polyacetylenol glycosides from the edible roots of Codonopsis pilosula and their anti-inflammatory activity.

The UV-guided separation of polyacetylenes from the edible roots of Codonopsis pilosula resulted in the elucidation of nine previously undescribed C14-polyacetylenol glycosides, named codonopilodiynosides II-VIII (1-7) and codonopiloenynenosides C and D (8 and 9), along with sixteen known analogues (10-25). The structures of the undescribed polyacetylenes were elucidated by spectroscopic data including UV, IR, HRESIMS, NMR, modified Mosher's analysis and Mo2(OAc)4-induced ECD experiments. The inhibitory effects of the isolated compounds on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 cells were tested. Compounds 1, 11 and 25 exhibited better in vitro anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 values ranging from 35.49 ± 0.09 to 51.85 ± 0.11 μM than dexamethasone with IC50 value of 80.22 ± 0.24 μM. Besides, compounds 1, 11 and 25 decreased the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner. The results indicated the roots of C. pilosula might be developed into drugs for treating inflammation related diseases.