Madhucosides A and B, protobassic acid glycosides from Madhuca indica with inhibitory activity on free radical release from phagocytes.

The structures of madhucosides A (1) and B (2), isolated from the bark of Madhuca indica, were established as 3-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1--> 3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]protobassic acid and 3-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-28-O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->2)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)]-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]protobassic acid, respectively. These two compounds showed significant inhibitory effects on both superoxide release from polymorphonuclear cells in a NBT reduction assay and hypochlorous acid generation from neutrophils assessed in a luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence assay.