A newly described plant-derived flavonoid, hypolaetin-8-glucoside, which has anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective actions in-vivo, and its corresponding aglycone, hypolaetin, have been compared with 14 other flavonoids for inhibition of eicosanoid generation via the 5-lipoxygenase and cyclo-oxygenase pathways in elicited rat peritoneal leukocytes stimulated with calcium ionophore. Comparable results for the inhibitory profiles of the compounds were obtained using either radioimmunoassay of released eicosanoids or radio-TLC of metabolites formed from labelled arachidonate, but there were differences in absolute potency of the inhibitors. Hypolaetin-8-glucoside was a weak but selective inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase (IC50 56 microM vs 5-lipoxygenase; greater than 1000 microM vs cyclo-oxygenase), whereas the aglycone hypolaetin was a more potent and selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor (IC50 4.5 microM vs 70 microM). Results with three other glycoside/aglycone pairs confirmed that addition of sugar residues greatly reduces inhibitory potency whilst retaining selectivity against 5-lipoxygenase. Analysis of 12 aglycone flavonoids showed that inhibitory potency and selectivity against 5-lipoxygenase is conferred by the presence of 3'4'-vicinal diol (catechol) in ring B as part of a 3,4-dihydroxycinnamoyl structure as proposed by others and by incorporation of additional hydroxyl substituents. In contrast, "cross-over" of inhibitory selectivity is observed in compounds containing few hydroxyl substituents (with none in ring B) which are selective against cyclo-oxygenase. These results are discussed in relation to possible mechanisms of hypolaetin-8-glucoside's protective actions and the concept that these inhibitory effects of flavonoids cannot be ascribed to a unitary free radical scavenging action.

The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-ulcer activities of a novel flavonoid, hypolaetin-8-glucoside, obtained from Sideritis mugronensis, have been tested in the rat. The flavonoid was more potent than phenylbutazone in suppressing the acute phase of adjuvant-carrageenan-induced inflammation, but had less effect in the prolonged inflammatory phase. However, unlike phenylbutazone, it did not cause gastric erosions. Both compounds were equiactive in inhibiting the development of carrageenan-induced abscesses, whereas phenylbutazone had greater analgesic activity in tests on pressure pain threshold. The flavonoid and cimetidine both prevented the formation of cold-restraint induced gastric lesions, but cimetidine was more potent. These results show that hypolaetin-8-glucoside combines both anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer properties and suggest that it may offer useful alternatives to anti-inflammatory drugs of the aspirin type.

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A number of pyrido[1,2-c]pyrimidines bearing a nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur functionality at C-1 were synthesized on solid-phase using the iminophosphorane methodology and tested for their effects on leukocyte functions in vitro and antiinflammatory activity. Compound 5c was found to be a strong scavenger of superoxide anion and an inhibitor of chemiluminescence induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate in human neutrophils. These pyrido[1,2-c]pyrimidines inhibited the generation of PGE(2) by COX-2 in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide. Compounds 7, 5f, 6, and 8 inhibited enzyme activity, whereas the remaining compounds also acted on the induction phase. In addition, 5a-f, 6, and 7 administered p.o. at a dose of 20 mg/kg showed antiinflammatory activity in the carrageenan mouse paw edema model, where they inhibited PGE(2) levels in inflamed paws without affecting the content of this eicosanoid in stomachs. Inhibition of PGE(2) production and superoxide scavenging may participate in the mechanism of the antiinflammatory action of these pyrido[1,2-c]pyrimidine derivatives.