Scopoletin: An Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthesis Inhibitory Active Constituent from Artemisia feddei

Abstract: Bioassay-guided fractionation of an H 2 O extract of Artemisia feddei has furnished an inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitory coumarin, scopoletin (1) and one of the inactive sesquiterpenes, achillin (2). Compound 1 showed inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in a dose-dependent manner in murine macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The Inhibition of NO synthesis of 1 was due to suppression of iNOS mRNA and iNOS protein, as determined by Northern and Western blotting, respectively.