Anti-inflammatory Sesquiterpene Derivatives from the Leaves of <i>Tripterygium wilfordii</i>

Abstract

Twelve new dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpene polyol esters, triptersinines A–L (<b>1</b>–<b>12</b>), and eight known sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids were isolated from the leaves of <i>Tripterygium wilfordii</i>. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses, including UV, IR, and NMR experiments (¹H–¹H COSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC). Furthermore, in an in vitro bioassay, compounds <b>1</b>, <b>9</b>, <b>11</b>, <b>13</b>, <b>14</b>, and <b>18</b> showed moderate inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in LPS-induced macrophages at 5 μM; all compounds were inactive when tested against five human cancer cell lines (IC₅₀ values >1 μM)