Crude ethyl acetate extract of Gerbera piloselloides (L.) Cass. was investigated by dual high-resolution PTP1B/α-glucosidase inhibition profiling and LC-PDA-HRMS. This indicated the presence of a series of unprecedented prenyl- and geranyl-substituted coumarin derivatives correlated with both α-glucosidase and PTP1B inhibitory activity. Repeated chromatographic separation targeting these compounds led to the isolation of 13 new compounds, of which ten could be isolated as both enantiomers after chiral separation. The structures of all isolated compounds were characterized by HRMS and extensive 1D and 2D NMR analysis. The absolute configurations of the isolated compounds were determined by comparison of experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. Compound 6 features a rare furan-oxepane 5/7 ring system, possibly formed through addition of a geranyl unit to C-3 of 5-methylcoumarin, representing a new type of geranyl-substituted coumarin skeleton. Compounds 19 and 24 are the first examples of dimeric natural products consisting of both coumarin and chromone moieties.

Periploca forrestii Schltr. (P. forrestii) is a species used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) known as “Miao medicine”, and has a long history of use in the treatment of rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and joint pain. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-arthritis effects of the cardenolide-rich and caffeoylquinic acid-rich fractions (CDLFs and CQAFs) of P. forrestii in collagen-induced arthritic (CIA) rats, and defined the mechanisms of therapeutic action in MH7A cells treated with TNF-α. Serum rheumatoid factor (RF), TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, PGE₂, NO, SOD, and MDA were determined by ELISA or other commercially assay kits. Histopathological changes in ankle joint tissues were examined. The mRNA expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS in MH7A cells were measured by qRT-PCR assays. In addition, the expressions of iNOS, COX-2, and p65 proteins, and the phosphorylation of IκBα, p38, ERK_1/2, and JNK proteins in MH7A cells were analyzed by Western blot. The results showed that CDLF and CQAF could suppress the paw swelling in CIA rats at different doses (125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, and 500 mg/kg). Histopathological examination suggests that the CDLF and CQAF significantly relieved the damage of the structure of the ankle joint in CIA rats. In addition, serum RF, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, PGE₂, NO, and MDA were decreased, along with increased activity of serum SOD. Furthermore, CDLF and CQAF downregulated the expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, iNOS, and p65, and inhibited the phosphorylation of IκBα, p38, ERK_1/2, and JNK in MH7A cells treated with TNF-α. These findings demonstrated that both CDLF and CQAF exhibited anti-arthritic activity, which might be associated with their inhibitory effects on the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.

Protosappanoside D (PTD) is a new component isolated from the extract of Caesalpinia decapetala for the first time. Its structure was identified as protosappanin B-3-O-β-D-glucoside by ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, 2D-NMR and MS techniques. To date, the pharmacological activities, metabolism or pharmacokinetics of PTD has not been reported. Therefore, this research to study the anti-inflammatory activity of PTD was investigated via the LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells model. At the same time, we also used the UHPLC/Q Exactive Plus MS and UPLC-MS/MS methods to study the metabolites and pharmacokinetics of PTD, to calculate its bioavailability for the first time. The results showed that PTD could downregulate secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the metabolic study, four metabolites were identified, and the primary degradative pathways in vivo involved the desaturation, oxidation, methylation, alkylation, dehydration, degradation and desugarization. In the pharmacokinetic study, PTD and its main metabolite protosappanin B (PTB) were measured after oral and intravenous administration. After oral administration of PTD, its T_max was 0.49 h, t_1/2z and MRT_(0–t) were 3.47 ± 0.78 h and 3.06 ± 0.63 h, respectively. It shows that PTD was quickly absorbed into plasma and it may be eliminated quickly in the body, and its bioavailability is about 0.65%.

The whole Hypericum patulum Thunb. plant is utilized in traditional medicine for its properties of clearing heat, detoxifying, soothing meridians, relaxing the liver, and stopping bleeding. In folk medicine, it is frequently used to treat hepatitis, colds, tonsillitis, and bruises. Phytochemical investigation of a 30% ethanol extract of the fresh ripe fruits of H. patulum has resulted in the isolation of two new pinane-type monoterpenoid glycosides 1–2, named patulumside E-F, and three new chain-shaped monoterpenoid glycosides 3–5, named patulumside G-H, J. Their structures were determined using extensive spectroscopic techniques, such as HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. The anti-inflammatory activities of these compounds were evaluated in the LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. This research represents the inaugural comprehensive phytochemical study of H. patulum, paving the way for further exploration of monoterpenoid glycosides.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate acute lung injury (ALI) therapeutic potential of Oxalis corniculata 70% ethanol extract (EOC), identify its serum-absorbed active principles, and explore structure-activity relationships via molecular docking. Methods : Evaluation of lung edema and inflammatory cell infiltration in ALI rats by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was complemented by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measurement of serum inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)). Components of EOC absorbed into plasma were rapidly identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The underlying mechanism was predicted using network pharmacology and subsequently validated by molecular docking and Western blot analysis. Results : Significantly reducing lung edema, inflammatory infiltration, and serum cytokines, EOC treatment allowed LC-MS identification of 19 absorbed components, with network pharmacology/Western blot confirming IL-17/NF-κB pathway involvement in ALI amelioration. Molecular docking verified strong binding between TNF/IL1B/CASP3 and vicenin-3, isovitexin, isoschaftoside, orientin, isoorientin, schaftoside, glucosyl-vitexin, swertisin, and carlinoside. Conclusion: EOC significantly alleviated ALI likely by inhibiting the IL-17/NF-κB pathway, with potential active constituents including vicenin-3, isovitexin, isoschaftoside, orientin, isoorientin, schaftoside, glucosyl-vitexin, swertisin, and carlinoside.