LAUSR

Eighteen known compounds, including lignans, phenylpropanoids, triterpenoids, and phytosterols, were isolated from Balanophora laxiflora (Balanophoraceae). The inhibitory activities of these compounds on the production of nitric oxide (NO), a pro-inflammatory mediator, were evaluated. Compounds isolariciresinol (1), ethyl caffeate (13) and ferulic aldehyde (16) showed potent to mild inhibitory activities on LPS-stimulated NO production in RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC(subscript 50) values of 0.81, 7.29, and 98.67 μM, respectively. The results showed that compound 1 had a potent effect on TNF-α production with an IC(subscript 50) value of 0.87μM, but practically no effect on IL-6 synthesis. In addition, an inhibitory effect of compound 1 on nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) activation was shown by the repression of LPS-stimulated s-lactamase reporter activity. Taken together, these results demonstrated that compound 1 modulates the production of inflammatory mediators through the attenuation of NF-kB transcription signaling.