Researchers have discovered the key component of the anti-neuroinflammation effect of Achillea latifolia
It is known that Achilaria fortunei is used as a traditional medicine in many countries and regions. It can be used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, liver and gallbladder diseases, hypertension, respiratory tract infections, fever and rheumatic diseases, etc. It can also promote wound healing and relieve skin inflammation, and has good medicinal value. Sesquiterpene components, as one of the important active ingredients in Achillea, have always been a hot topic in the field of natural medicinal chemistry research due to their rich and diverse structures and excellent activity. They are also popular targeted compounds in the research of drug lead compounds.
Researchers from the Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, isolated 16 sesquiterpenes from the whole plant of Yarrow achillea collected in Changji, Xinjiang, among which 12 were new compounds. By means of high-resolution mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and other methods, researchers have successfully determined the planar structure and absolute configuration of these compounds.
In further research, researchers used a lipopolysaccharide-induced microglia model to test the anti-neuroinflammatory related activities of the compound. The results showed that five compounds could effectively inhibit the secretion of nitric oxide, among which the activity of one compound was close to that of dexamethasone. After extensive and in-depth research, it was ultimately determined that sesquiterpenes, especially guaiacylane-type sesquiterpene lactones, are the key components for the significant anti-neuroinflammatory activity of Achilastus chinensis.
