Furostanol saponins with inhibitory action against COX-2 production from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes

Two furostanol saponins were obtained from the n-butanol fraction of methanol extract from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes, a folk medicine of Shennongjia Forest District of Hubei Province. Their structures were determined as (25S)-26-O-(b-D-glucopyranosyl)furost-1b, 3b, 22a, 26-tetrol-3-O-b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 ! 4)-b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 ! 2)-b-D-glucopyranoside (1) and (25R)26-O-(b-D-glucopyranosyl)-furost-1b, 3b 22a, 26-tetrol 3-O-b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 ! 4)-b-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 ! 2)-b-D-glucopyranoside (2), on basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidences. 1 and 2 displayed marked inhibitory action towards COX-2 production in macrophages of the rat abdomen induced by LPS at 20 mg/mL. # 2007 Kun Zou. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.