Bioactive sesquiterpene coumarins from the resin of Ferula sinkiangensis targeted on over-activation of microglia

Abstract Nine undescribed (1-4, 6-10) sesquiterpene coumarins, together with a new natural one (5) and ten known ones (11-20), were isolated the low polarity fraction of the 95% ethanol extract of the resin of Ferula sinkiangensis. Their structures were elucidated based on the comprehensive analysis of HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR data. The absolute configurations were determined by comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. All the identified SCs were evaluated for their anti-neuroinflammatory activities in LPS-induced BV-2 cells. Ferusingensine G (8) displayed a significant inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production with an IC50 value of 1.2 μM. The results suggested that natural SCs might be served as potential neuroinflammatory inhibitors.