Chemical constituents from Belamcanda chinensis and their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC., which belongs to the family of Iridaceae, has been used as a folk medicine for the treatment of inflammation, asthma, tonsillitis, and many other throat disorders. Bioactivity-guided purification of the methylene chloride-soluble fraction of the rhizomes of B. chinensis based on the inhibition of nitric oxide production led to the identification of seventeen known compounds. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic measurement such as NMR and ESI-MS. All of the isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.