Neuroprotective Aurones from Sophora japonica

A new aurone, named (Z)-4,5-methylenedioxy-6-hydroxybenzene-2[(2′,3′,4′-trimethoxy)-2-methyl-2(4-methyl-3-penten-1-yl)-2H-1-benzopyran-5-yl)methylene]-3-benzofuranon (1), and nine known aurones (2–10) were isolated from Sophora japonica L. for the first time. Compounds 1–10 were evaluated for their neuroprotective activities against 6-OHDA-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells. Compounds 1, 3, 8, and 10 exhibited significant neuroprotective activities with IC₅₀ values in the range of 2.89–6.02 μM.