Table 3 Pharmacological activities and mechanisms of some compounds isolated from Wu-Ling-Zhi and Hei-Bing-Pian

Wu-Ling-Zhi

Terpenoids

Tormentic acid

Antiangiogenic activity

Controlling abnormal proliferation and cell death resistance of vascular smooth muscle cell without affecting the normal vasculature

[68]

Euscaphic acid

Anti-inflammatory activity

Inhibition of LPS-induced inflammatory responses by interference with the clustering of TRAF6 with IRAK1 and TAK1

[69]

Jacoumaric acid

Cytotoxic activity

Significant cytotoxicity effect against P-388 lymphocytic leukemia cell

[10]

3-O-cis-p-coumaroy ltormentic acid

2α-hydroxy ursolic acid

Anticancer activity

Inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis by regulating the p38/MAPK signal transduction pathway

[70]

Pomolic acid

Anti-inflammatory and apoptotic activities

Inhibiting inflammatory response by regulating human neutrophil function

[71]

Ursolic acid

Anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities

Inhibition of tumor growth and induction of apoptosis by modulating the MAPK/ERK and PI3 K/AKT/mTOR pathways; Inhibiting inflammation by suppression of NF-κB, AP-1 and NF-AT activity

[72]

Maslinic acid

Anticancer activity

It can significantly suppress pancreatic tumor growth, induce tumor apoptosis and inhibit NF-κB-regulated anti-apoptotic gene expression

[73]

Wulingzhic acid

Anticoagulative activity

Prolongation of thrombin time and inhibiting platelet aggregation

[13, 19]

Wulingzhic acid A

Wulingzhic acid B

Trogopteroids A–G

Cytotoxic activity

Cytotoxicity effect against seven human tumor cells, such as HepG2, HL-60 and U937

[12]

8β-hydroxy-3-oxopimara-15-ene

Akhdardiol

Isopimara-7(8),15-dien-3β-ol

Isopimara-8,15-dien-3β-ol

Sempervirol

Macrophynin E

Ferruginol

Gastroprotective activity

Increasing PGs content, protecting cells from lipid peroxidation and improving gastric ulcer healing

[74]

Epifriedelanol

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities

Attenuating the secondary injury in TBI rats by reducing serum cytokine levels and oxidative stress

[75]

Flavonoids

Hinokiflavone

Anti-inflammatory activity

Inhibiting the LPS-induced expression of iNOS and COX-2 and the activation of NF-κB and ERK-1/2

[76]

Amentoflavone

Anti-diabetic activity

Regulating glucose and lipid metabolism via anti-oxidant effects and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway

[77]

Kaempferol-3-O-α-l-(2″E,4″E-di-p-coumaroyl)-rhamnoside

Anticoagulative activity

Significant prolongation of thrombin time

[14]

Kaempferol-3-O-α-l-(3″E,4″E-di-p-coumaroyl)-rhamnoside

Kaempferol-3-O-α-l-(4″E-p-coumaroyl)-rhamnoside

Afzelin

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities

Inhibiting particulate matter-induced proinflammatory cytokine mRNA expression and protein secretion; Inhibiting intracellular ROS generation, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and transcription factor activator protein-1 component c-Fos and c-Jun activation

[78]

Quercitrin

Gastroprotective and antioxidant activities

Inhibition of oxidative stress, regulation of mitochondrial dysfunction, and initiation of antioxidant defense

[79]

Lignans

Trogopterins A, B, and C

Cytotoxic activity

Cytotoxicity effect against different types of cancer cells, such as HL-60, HeLa, and MCF-7

[16]

Steroids

Daucosterol

Anti-colitis activity

Inhibiting dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in mice by relieving inflammation and restoring the number of Treg cells

[80]

β-sitosterol

Anti-inflammatory activity

Inhibition of intracellular adhesion molecule 1 expression in TNF-α-stimulated HAEC as well as the binding of U937 cells to TNF-α-stimulated HAEC and attenuating the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kB p65

[81]

Cholic acid

Anti-inflammatory activity

Significantly decreasing the content of PGE₂ in inflammatory tissue

[82]

Deoxycholic acid

Anti-inflammatory activity

Inhibiting fMLP-induced monocyte and neutrophil chemotaxis and calcium mobilization

[83]

Ursodeoxycholic acid

Anti-inflammatory activity

Ameliorating experimental colonic inflammation in rats at a high dose (50 mg/kg day) by enhancing mucosal defense

[84]

Taurocholic acid

Anti-inflammatory activity

Inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators, such as NO, PGE₂ and histamine

[85]

Others

Bis(7-hydroxyheptyl)decanedioate

Anticoagulative activity

Significant prolongation of thrombin time

[17]

Bis(7-hydroxyheptyl)octanedioate

Protocatechuic acid

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities

Significantly decreasing LPO, NO levels and increasing SOD, catalase and GSH levels; significantly increasing the hot pain threshold of experimental mice, and obviously decreasing the frequency of writhing body response

[91]

Hei-Bing-Pian

Steroids

Cholic acid

Anti-inflammatory activity

Significantly decreasing the content of PGE₂ in inflammatory tissue

[82]

Taurocholic acid

Anti-inflammatory activity

Inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators, such as NO, PGE_2, and histamine

[85]