Natural nitric oxide (NO) inhibitors from Chloranthus japonicus

Abstract Eight new lindenane sesquiterpenoid dimers, chlojapolides A–H ( 1 – 8 ), along with 11 known analogues were isolated from the whole plant of Chloranthus japonicus . Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by spectral and chemical methods. All the compounds were examined for their inhibitory effects on the nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and compounds 1 , 11 , 13 , and 17 exhibited pronounced inhibition with IC 50 values in the range of 6.91–15.75 μM, being more active than the positive control, quercetin (IC 50  = 15.90 μM).