Studies on Anti-inflammatory Agents. VI. Anti-inflammatory Constituents of Cinnamomum sieboldii MEISSN.

Abstract

The crude drug Cinnamomi Cortex, the bark of Cinnamomum cassia Blume and other plants of the same genus (Lauraceae) has frequently been used medicinally [in humans] for sweating, anti-pyretic and analgesic effects, and for aromatic stomachics. In the search for active anti-inflammatory constituents in the crude drugs and plants, an aqueous methanolic (1:1, [vol/vol]) extract from the bark of C. sieboldii Meissn. had potent inhibitory activity of formation of granulation tissue through screening by the fertile egg method. Exploration on the bark of this plant resulted in the isolation of the known (-)-epicatechin, (+)-catechin, procyanidin B2, procyanidin B4 and new compounds named cinnamonol D1 and cinnamonol D2 as their acetates, respectively. The activity increased in the order of monomers, dimers and trimers.