Chemical composition and anti-inflammatory activity of the hydrodistillatefrom Mariscus pedunculatus

A mixture of the benzofuran remirol and the benzopyran isoevodionol (5.7:1) was extracted by hydrodistillation from rhizomes of Mariscus pedunculatus. They were purified by successive thin layer chromatography. Their structur e elucidation were confirmed by 2D-NMR experiments. The structure of remiro l was also confirmed by its hydrogenation product. Crude distillate and the pure compounds were screened for anti-inflammatory activity by the use of the mouse pleurisy model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 12.5 ng/ cavit y). Both the mixture and remirol showed a dose-dependent (100 and 200 mg kg (-1) p.o.) capacity to inhibit neutrophil and eosinophil accumulation in th e mouse pleural cavity. In contrast, no anti-inflammatory effect was observ ed for iso-evodionol.