Total Synthesis and Anti-inflammatory Activity of Asperjinone and Asperimide C.

Total syntheses of two γ-butenolide natural products, asperjinone () and asperimide C () in both racemic and chiral forms have been accomplished utilizing Basavaiah's one-pot Friedel-Crafts/maleic anhydride formation protocol as a key strategy. Our syntheses verified the revised structure of proposed by Williams et al. and the structure and absolute configuration of reported by the Li group. This work also discloses the unprecedented anti-inflammatory activity of . Synthetic exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (RPTEC) by suppression of gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 under LPS-induced renal inflammation condition and was superior to ()-, -, , and a positive drug control, indomethacin. Moreover, compound inhibited downstream signaling of inflammation by significantly reducing iNOS and COX-2 gene expression and total NO production. The anti-inflammatory activity of asperjinone () renders it a potential and promising candidate for developing novel anti-inflammatory agents against inflammation worsening acute kidney injury.