Inhibition of soybean and potato lipoxygenases by bhilawanols from bhilawan (Semecarpus anacardium) nut shell liquid and some synthetic salicylic acid analogues.

Bhilawanol diene (3) isolated from bhilawan nut shell liquid was found to be a potent inhibitor of both soybean and potato lipoxygenases with IC50 values of 0.85 microM and 1.1 microM, respectively. However, the monoene (2) and saturated (1) bhilawanols exhibited relatively lower inhibitory activity. In addition, inhibition studies with synthetic analogues of salicylic acid (4-8) suggested that the unsaturated lipophilic side chain may be an absolute requirement for inhibitory activity.