New benzofuran neolignans with neuroprotective activity from Phyllanthodendron breynioides

Abstract

A pair of undescribed dihydrobenzofuran neolignan enantiomers, (+/−)-phybrenan A (1a/1b), two new benzofuran neolignans, phybrenan B and C (2 and 3), along with four known neolignans (4 − 7) were obtained from the plants of Phyllanthodendron breynioides P. T. Li. The planar structures of all isolates were demonstrated by the analysis of detailed spectroscopic evidence (NMR, HRMS, and IR), and the absolute configurations of novel neolignans were elucidated by combined calculated and experimental ECD data analysis. The neuroprotective activities of all benzofuran neolignans against sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced cell death were examined in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. The results exhibited that three compounds (4 − 6) possessed remarkable neuroprotective activities at 10 µM, better than the positive drug edaravone.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Phyllanthodendron breynioides
• neolignans
• enantiomers
• neuroprotective activity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China [number 81973203], [number 81973195], and the Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, China [number 2021B1515140062], [number 2020A1515010841], the Open Program of Shenzhen Bay Laboratory [number SZBL2021080601007], and the Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province, China [number 2020B1111110003].