TNF-α inhibition elicited by mansoins A and B, heterotrimeric flavonoids isolated from Mansoa hirsuta.

Mansoins A (1) and B (2) isolated from the fruits of Mansoa hirsuta represent new glucosylated heterotrimeric flavonoids with a flavanone core linked to two 1,3-diarylpropane C6-C3-C6 units. Their structures and absolute configurations were established by analysis of their NMR and electronic circular dichroism spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 2 inhibited TNF-alpha release by LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells with different potencies, with mansoin B (2) being active at lower concentrations than mansoin A (1) (IC50 values 20.0 +/- 1.4 and 48.1 +/- 1.8 mu M, respectively). These results indicate potential anti-inflammatory properties for this structural type of oligoflavonoids, especially for mansoin B (2).