Anticomplement activity of polyacetylenes from leaves of Dendropanax morbifera Leveille.

The present study evaluated the anticomplement effect of polyacetylenes from Dendropanax morbifera (Araliaceae) in the classical pathway complement system. The leaves of D. morbifera were evaluated with regard to its anticomplement activity, and its active principles identified following activity-guided isolation. An aqueous CCl(4) fraction of the leaves of D. morbifera exhibited significant anticomplement activity on the classical pathway complement system, which was expressed as total hemolytic activity. Three polyacetylenes isolated from the leaves of D. morbifera, namely (3S)-falcarinol (1), (3S,8S)-falcarindiol (2) and (3S)-diynene (3). Compounds 1, 2 and 3 showed inhibitory activity against complement system with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) values of 87.3 µM, 15.2 µM and 39.8 µM. Among the compounds tested, 2 showed the most potent anticomplement activity (IC(50), 15.2 µM).