Sesquiterpenes from the leaves of Artemisia argyi and evaluation of their in vitro anti-inflammatory activities.

Two unreported sesquiterpenoids, 7-en-13-hytanaphallin (1) and 8´-en-achillinin C (2) along with two known sesquiterpenoid dimers were obtained from chloroform parts in the leaves of Artemisia argyi Lévl. et Vant, belonging to Asteraceae family. The planar structures and absolute configurations of two new compounds were characterized by HR-ESI-MS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR, and electronic circular dichroism analyses. Two known sesquiterpenoids, argyinolide O (3) and (+)-8-acetylarteminolide (4), exhibited potent activities against NO production from LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells with IC 50 values of 3.6 and 9.8 μM, respectively. [Display omitted] • Two new sesquiterpenoids were isolated from Artemisia argyi. • The chemical structures of the two new compounds were defined by NMR and comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. • Two new sesquiterpenoids had weak anti-inflammatory activity and two known sesquiterpenoids were more active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]