Isolation and identification of benzochroman and acylglycerols from massa medicata fermentata and their inhibitory effects on LPS-stimulated cytokine production in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells

Massa Medicata Fermentata (MMF), known as Shenqu, is an important traditional Chinese medicine widely used to treat indigestion, vomiting, and diarrhea. In this study, a new benzochroman, 3(S)-3,4-dihydro-5,10-di-β-D-glucopyranoside-2,2-dimethyl-2H-naphtho(2,3-b)pyran-3-ol (1), and five known galactosyl acylglycerols (2-6) were isolated from a methanol extract from MMF. In addition, their chemical structures were determined by chemical and spectroscopic methods, which were compared with the previously reported data. Furthermore, the effects of isolated compounds on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells were investigated. Compounds 1-3 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the LPS-induced production of IL-6 and IL-12 p40, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.6 to 10.2 µM. Compounds 2 and 3 also exhibited strong inhibitory effects on the LPS-stimulated production of TNF-α with IC₅₀ values of 12.0 and 11.2 µM, respectively. The results might provide a scientific basis for the development of the active components in MMF, as well as for novel anti-inflammatory agents.