Anti-inflammatory asterosaponins from the starfish Astropecten monacanthus.

Four new asterosaponins, astrosteriosides A-D (1-3 and 5), and two known compounds, psilasteroside (4) and marthasteroside B (6), were isolated from the MeOH extract of the edible Vietnamese starfish Astropecten monacanthus. Their structures were elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic methods including FTICRMS and 1D and 2D NMR experiments. The effects of the extracts and isolated compounds on pro-inflammatory cytokines were evaluated by measuring the production of IL-12 p40, IL-6, and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Compounds 1, 5, and 6 exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity comparable to that of the positive control. Further studies are required to confirm efficacy in vivo and the mechanism of effects. Such potent anti-inflammatory activities render compounds 1, 5, and 6 important materials for further applications including complementary inflammation remedies and/or functional foods and nutraceuticals.