In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of 23-hydroxyursolic acid isolated from Cussonia bancoensis in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells.

In the present study, the effects of various triterpenoids isolated from the stem bark of Cussonia bancoensis, namely, ursolic acid ( 1), 23-hydroxyursolic acid ( 2), 3-O-alpha- L-arabinopyranosyl-23-hydroxyursolic acid (3), and 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-23-hydroxyursolic acid ( 4) were evaluated on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E (2) (PGE (2)) release by the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Of the tested triterpenoids, 23-hydroxyursolic acid ( 2) was found to be the most potent inhibitor of NO production, and also significantly reduced PGE (2) release.