Barbaram, a bicyclic neolactam from the root and stem of Lycium barbarum

Abstract

Barbaram (1), a neolactam together with other five known compunds (2–6) was isolated from the EtOAc-soluble fraction of an EtOH extract of the root and stem of Lycium barbarum by using silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and semi-preparative RP-C₁₈ HPLC. Based on HR-TOF-MS, NMR spectral data, quantum chemistry ECD calculations and referencing to the data reported earlier, the structures of these compounds (1–6) were determined, specially including the absolute configuration of the neolactam (1). Compounds 2 and 4 showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages with the IC₅₀ values of 8.98 ± 0.57 μM, 6.68 ± 0.77 μM.

Keywords:

• Lycium barbarum
• Solanaceae
• root and stem
• neolactam
• ECD calculations
• anti-inflammatory activity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interests was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Financially support of this investigation by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 81573578] and grant (2017-110108-83-03-001423) from State Bureau of Chinese Medicine is gratefully acknowledged.