New stilbenoids from Pholidota yunnanensis and their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production.

Six new stilbenoids, a (bibenzyldihydrophenanthrene) ether designated phoyunnanin D (1), a bis(dihydrophenanthrene) ether designated phoyunnanin E (2), and four stilbenes designated phoyunbene A-D (3-6), were isolated from the air-dried whole plant of Pholidota yunnanensis ROLFE. The new compounds were identified as 7-[2-(3-hydroxyphenethyl)-4-hydroxy-6-methoxyphenoxy]-4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (1), 1-[(9,10-dihydro-4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-7-phenanthrenyl)oxy]-4,7-dihydroxy-2-methoxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (2), trans-3,3'-dihydroxy-2',4',5-trimethoxystilbene (3), trans-3,4'-dihydroxy-2',3',5-trimethoxystilbene (4), trans-3,3'-dihydroxy-2',5-dimethoxystilbene (5), and trans-3-hydroxy-2',3',5-trimethoxystilbene (6) based on spectroscopic evidence. Furthermore, the inhibitory effects of compounds 1-6 on nitric oxide production in a murine macrophage-like cell line (RAW 264.7) activated by lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma were examined.