Cassane diterpenoids from Caesalpinia pulcherrima and their anti-inflammatory and α-glycosidase inhibitory activities

Abstract

Three undescribed cassane-type diterpenoids (CAs), caesalpulcherrins K-M (1–3), together with three known ones (4–6) were isolated from the aerial parts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw (Fabaceae). Their structures were elucidated via analysis of NMR (1 D and 2 D) and HRESIMS data. The character for caesalpulcherrin K possessing the olefin bond at C-11 and C-12 in its cassane skeleton was observed, which belonged to a small group among more than 450 CAs. That is, only fifteen derivatives have been reported up to now, to our knowledge. Biological evaluation revealed that compounds 1–6 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity, with an IC₅₀ value from 6.04 ± 0.34 to 8.92 ± 0.65 μM. Furthermore, compounds 5 and 6 exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity at 10 μM.

Graphical Abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Cassane diterpenoids
• anti-inflammatory activity
• α-glycosidase inhibitory activity
• Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32070388).