Anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of taxoids and lignans from the heartwood of Taxus baccata L.

Four taxoids (taxusin, baccatin VI, baccatin III and 1beta-hydroxybaccatin I) and five lignans (lariciresinol, taxiresinol, 3'-demethylisolariciresinol-9'-hydroxyisopropylether, isolariciresinol and 3-demethylisolariciresinol) were isolated from the heartwood of Taxus baccata L. (Taxaceae) growing in Turkey through chromatographic techniques. In vivo anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activity of these compounds were investigated. All the compounds were shown to possess significant antinociceptive activity against p-benzoquinone-induced abdominal contractions, while only lignan derivatives significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced hind paw edema in mice.