Identification of potential anti-inflammatory and melanoma cytotoxic compounds from Aegiceras corniculatum

Many chemicals found in mangroves reportedly exhibit potent anticancer, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor properties. Several of such compounds include feature unique structures and display interesting pharmacological effects. Few medicinal mangrove plants from Vietnam have been characterized with regard to their chemical constituents. Aegiceras corniculatum (L.) Blanco is a mangrove shrub that exhibits activity against various types of cancer. To identify new secondary metabolites and determine the source(s) of biological activity in Vietnamese medicinal mangrove plants, the chemical constituents of A. corniculatum were isolated, and their structures were appropriately established using common spectroscopic methods (1D and 2D-NMR, IR, HR-ESI-MS), and by producing derivatives by chemical reactions. Complementarily, it is worth noting, that the anti-inflammatory effects of the isolated compounds were investigated by measuring the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-12 p40, IL-6, and TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells; in this sense, the target compounds 2 and 3 were potent inhibitors of cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-12 p40, indicating promising anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, compounds 1 and 4 strongly promoted apoptosis of B16F10 melanoma cells. It is convenient to highlight, that the obtained results suggest that saponins from A. corniculatum could be potential candidates for treating cancer and inflammatory illnesses.