Sesquiterpenes from Echinacea purpurea and their anti-inflammatory activities

Six unreported sesquiterpenes, purpureaterpenes A‒F, together with six known sesquiterpenes, were isolated and identified from the aerial part of Echinacea purpurea. Their chemical structures were established by detailed analyses of 1D and 2D NMR data. The relative configurations were assigned on the basis of their NOESY spectra and the calculated ¹³C NMR spectra. Their absolute configurations were determined by X-ray crystallographic analyses and optical rotation calculations. All the isolated compounds were tested for their anti-inflammatory effects against NO production in LPS-induced RAW246.7 macrophages. Among these compounds, purpureaterpene E was the most active (IC₅₀ value 13.27 μM), even better than the positive control, minocycline (IC₅₀ value 34.81 μM). Further investigation found that purpureaterpene E might exert anti-inflammatory property via the NF-κB signaling pathway.