Bioactive glycosides from the roots of Ilex asprella

AbstractContext The roots of Ilex asprella (Hook. et Arn.) Champ. ex Benth. (Aquifoliaceae) are widely used in Chinese medicine to treat influenza, amygdalitis, pertussis, etc. Their mechanism of action is still unknown, which raises the need to identify new bioactive compounds in this plant.Objective In this study, we isolated a novel saponin containing sulphonic groups, namely, asprellcoside A (1) and a known phenolic glycoside compound (2) from the roots of Ilex asprella and evaluated their bioactivities.Materials and methods Molecular structures were elucidated by analysing their spectral and chemical properties. The viability of A549 cells was tested using a MTT assay. Ability of the compounds to inhibit viruses was determined using the neuraminidase activity assay. Their anti-inflammatory effects were tested using the IP-10 activity assay using various concentrations (compound 1: 0.6, 0.2, 0.6, 1.70, 5.00 and 15.00 μM; compound 2: 0.4, 1.2, 3.6, 11.0, 33.0 and 100 μM). Their inhibitory effect on pla...