Sesquiterpene coumarins from Ferula fukanensis and nitric oxide production inhibitory effects

Four new sesquiterpene coumarin derivatives, fukanemarin B (1), fukanefuromarin E (2), fukanefuromarin F (3) and fukanefuromarin G (5) were isolated from a 80% aqueous methanol extract of the roots of Ferula fukanensis. The structures were elucidated based on spectral evidence, especially heteronuclear multiple-bond connectivity (HMBC) and high-resolution MS. The 80% aqueous methanol extract of the roots of Ferula fukanensis (FFE) and the sesquiterpene coumarin derivatives inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) gene expression by a murine macrophage-like cell line (RAW 264.7), which was activated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and recombinant mouse interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma).