Objective To clarify the chemical constituents of the petroleum ether extract from the whole plant of Ferula bungeana. Methods The chemical constituents of petroleum ether extract from the whole plant of F. bungeana were studied using classical silica gel column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography. The spectral data of the isolated compounds were analyzed to determine their structures. Meanwhile, by examining the effect of the isolated compounds on nitric oxide (NO) release in the culture medium of RAW264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS), their inhibitory effect on inflammatory responses was evaluated. Results From the petroleum ether extract of F. bungeana whole plant, eight compounds were isolated and identified as 1-isoprenyloxy-1-(3'-hydroxy-4',5'-methylenedioxy)phenyl-2-angeloyloxy-phenylpropane (1), myristicin (2), crocatone (3), diversivittatin (4), 2-epilaserine (5), 1-hydroxy-1-(3'-methoxy-4',5'-methylenedioxy)-phenylpropane (6), 1-hydroxy-1-(3',4'-methylenedioxy-2',5'-dimethoxy)-phenylpropane (7), 1-carbonyl-1-(3'-hydroxy-4',5'-methylenedioxy)-phenylpropane (8). The activity screening results showed that compounds 1, 4, and 5 exhibited good NO inhibitory activity at a concentration of 10 μmol/L, with inhibition rates of 78.5%, 85.9%, and 79.0%, respectively. Conclusions Compound 1 is a new compound, named ferubundiester; Compounds 2 and 5 were isolated from F. bungeana for the first time, and compounds 4—8 were obtained from plants of the Ferula genus for the first time. Compounds 1, 4, and 5 exhibit similar potent anti-inflammatory activity.

Ferula genus  /  Ferula bungeanal Kitagawa  /  phenylpropanoids  /  ferubundiester  /  myristicin  /  crocatone  /  anti-inflammatory activity