A novel trans-dihydroflavone derivative from the roots of Shuteria involucrata (wall.) Wight & Arn.: isolation, structure and preliminary biological evaluation.

A novel flavonoid compound, Involucrasin H (IH), was first isolated and identified from the traditional Dai ethnic medicine Shuteria involucrata (Wall.) Wight & Arn. (Tong qian Ma huang). Its therapeutic effects were assessed using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model. In vivo, dexamethasone (DEX, 5 mg/kg) and IH (50 and 100 mg/kg, intragastric administration for seven consecutive days) significantly decreased damage to lung tissues and the infiltration of inflammatory cell, along with reducing the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In vitro, in LPS-challenged human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE), DEX (0.4 μg/mL) and IH (25 μM, 50 μM and 100 μM, 24 h) was further inhibited the secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that IH exerts potent anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo, validating its potential as a promising therapeutic candidate for ALI and laying a solid foundation for subsequent pharmacological exploration.