Furylhydroquinones and miscellaneous compounds from the roots of and their anti-inflammatory effect in HaCaT cells.

One new furylhydroquinone derivative () and seven known compounds (-) were isolated from the roots of Sieb. et Zucc (Boraginaceae). The structure of was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods using NMR and MS. The absolute configuration of shikonofuran J () was unambiguously determined by aid of comparison experimental ECD with predicted ECD spectra. All the isolates were tested for their inhibitory activities against IL-6 production in HaCaT cells stimulated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. It was found that gracicleistanthoside () and uridine () remarkably down-regulated the TNF-α-induced synthesis of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pro-inflammatory cytokine associated with cutaneous inflammation, in HaCaT cells.