Anti-Inflammatory - In the present study, 4,2′,5′-trihydroxy-4′-methoxychalcone (TMC), a biologically active chalcone isolated from the heartwood of D. odorifera, inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, leading to a reduction in COX-2-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and iNOS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine peritoneal macrophages.

These results suggest that TMC inhibits pro-inflammatory mediators by inducing the expression of anti-inflammatory HO-1 via the Nrf2 pathway.

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Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), one of the major constituents of Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen (Leguminosae), is reported to exert anti-inflammatory effects, but the relevant anti-inflammatory mechanisms are not completely understood.

In this study, we investigated whether ISL could induce HO-1 expression in RAW264.7 macrophages, and if so, whether HO-1 could mediate the anti-inflammatory effects of ISL.

ISL markedly suppressed LPS-induced NO, IL-1β, and TNF-α production. ISL induced HO-1 expression through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 pathway in RAW264.7 macrophages.

ISL is an effective HO-1 inducer capable of inhibiting macrophage-derived inflammation.

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Anti-Tumor - Ongoing search for promising antitumor components from plant resources, we found that the methanol extract from the heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera (Leguminosae) demonstrated a significant inhibition on the proliferation of human tumor cell lines including multidrug resistant cells in vitro.

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Ongoing search for promising antitumor components from plant resources, we found that the methanol extract from the heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera (Leguminosae) demonstrated a significant inhibition on the proliferation of human tumor cell lines including multidrug resistant cells in vitro.

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Through bioassay-guided separation of the chemical constituents from the heartwood of Dalbergia odorifera, an 2'-O-methoxyisoliquiritigenin (1) was isolated as cytotoxic principle. 1 showed potent cytotoxic activity against the three kinds of human cancer cell lines (A-549, SK-MEL-2 and SK-OV-3) with similar activity to 5-Fluorouracil.

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Antioxidant - The heartwood or root of Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen is an important traditional medicine in Asia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physicochemical properties, chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen seed oil.

This study suggests that Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen seed oil has the potential to be used in new products in the functional food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical industries.

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Four compounds were isolated from the root of Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen and identified by chemical and spectroscopic methods as 2′-O-methyl-isoliquiritigenin (1), odoriflavene (2), 5′-methoxy-vestitol (3) and formononetin (4). Their antioxidant activities were investigated in lard by the oxidative stability instrument; their inhibitory effects on the decrease of glutathione level of rat lens induced by UV irradiation were studied using a rat lens UV-damage model, and their in vitro cytotoxicity was measured on human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

The inhibitory effects of compounds 1, 2 and 4 on the decrease of glutathione level of rat lens induced by UV irradiation were comparable to that of α-tocopherol. All four compounds showed cytotoxic activity when evaluated against a SH-SY5Y cell line in vitro.

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The antioxidant properties of butein, isolated from Dalbergia odorifera T. Chen, were investigated in this study. Butein inhibited iron-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain homogenate in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC₅₀, 3.3±0.4 μM.

It is proposed that butein serves as a powerful antioxidant against lipid and LDL peroxidation by its versatile free radical scavenging actions and metal ion chelation.

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Apoptosis - In this study we go over the compound of Butein sensitizing human leukemia cells to apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand.

Resistance to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) therapy is frequently encountered, requiring combined treatments with sensitizing agents.

Butein increased caspase-3 activity and expression of death receptor DR5. The apoptotic cell death induced by combined treatment was significantly reduced by z-DEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 inhibitor, suggesting a critical role of caspase-3 in apoptosis.

Our data suggests that combined treatment with butein and TRAIL may provide a safe and effective strategy for treating cancer.

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Chemopreventive - The cinnamylphenols were found to show remarkably potent activities. The result of the present investigation indicated that some of these cinnamylphenols might be valuable as potential cancer chemopreventive agents (anti-tumor promoters).

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