Chemical Constituents from Albiziae Cortex and Their Ability to Ameliorate Steatosis and Promote Proliferation and Anti-Oxidation In Vitro

This study describes the chemical constituents of Albiziae Cortex and their ability to ameliorate steatosis and promote proliferation and anti-oxidation in vitro. Together, five known lignan glycosides, (7S,8R)-erythro-syringylglycerol-β-O-4'-sinapyl ether 9-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), (+)-lyoniresinol-9'-O-gluco-side (2), (-)-lyoniresinol-9'-O-glucoside (3), picraquassioside C (4), and icariside E5 (5), were isolated from the Albiziae Cortex. Their structures were elucidated by extensive NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis and compared with reported data. Oil Red O staining results revealed that compounds 1, 2, and 3 attenuated lipid accumulation and lipid metabolic disorders in FFAs (oleate/palmitate, 2:1 ratio, 0.3 mM)-exposed HepG2 cells. The Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay results revealed that compounds 1 and 5 can significantly promote human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) proliferation; meanwhile, these compounds did not exhibit significant cytotoxicity against HUVECs. In addition, 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) staining results revealed that high glucose (HG)-induced Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production was abolished by compounds 1, 2, and 3. This is the first report of the isolation of lignan skeletons from the genus Albizzia julibrissin with the ability to ameliorate steatosis and promote proliferation and anti-oxidation activities.