Lignans from the Fruit of Schisandra glaucescens with Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Properties

Two rare 7,8-seco-lignans (1, 2), three new lignan glycosides (3, 4a, 4b), and 10 known lignans (5-14) were isolated from the fruit of Schisandra glaucescens Diels. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by comparing their experimental and calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. The molecular structures of the new compounds (3, 4a, and 4b), including their absolute configurations, were determined using various spectroscopic methods and hydrolysis reactions. The antioxidant activities of the isolated compounds were tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric reducing antioxidant power assays. Compounds 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12 exhibited antioxidant activities of varying potential in both assays. Of these compounds, 7 showed the strongest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, with IC50 values of 15.7 (150 mu M DPPH) and 34.6 mu M (300 mu M DPPH), respectively, and 4, 12, and 7 displayed higher total antioxidant activities than Trolox in the ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. The neuroprotective effects of these compounds against A beta(25-35)-induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells were also investigated. Compounds 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 11, and 12 exhibited statistically significant neuroprotective effects against A beta(25-35)-induced SH-SY5Y cell death compared with the group treated only with A beta(25-35).