Study on structural modification and hepatoprotective activities of shikonofuran derivatives.

Arnebiae Radix is a traditional Chinese medicine, and its active constituent shikonofuran exhibits a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. In this study, shikonofuran derivatives were designed and synthesized, and their hepatoprotective effects were evaluated using the MTT assay in a HepG2 cell injury model. The results showed that compound 10b, bearing a lipoic acid moiety, displayed superior activity compared with the positive control bicyclol. This study provides experimental evidence for further investigation of these compounds and the development of hepatoprotective leads.