Furanoligularenone, an eremophilane from Ligularia fischeri, inhibits the LPS-induced production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 in macrophage RAW264.7 cells.

Furanoligularenone (1), a known eremophilane, was identified from Ligularia fischeri (Compositae) together with 3-oxo-8alpha-hydroxy-10alphaH-eremophila-1,7(11)-dien-12,8beta-olide (2) and 3-oxo-8alpha-methoxy-10alphaH-eremophila-1,7(11)-dien-12,8beta-olide (3), by its potent inhibition of LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in RAW 264.7 cells. Compound 1 also suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2 mRNA and protein in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, compound 1 inhibits the production of NO and PGE2 at the transcription of iNOS and COX-2 genes, and would be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activities of the Ligularia fischeri.