A phytochemical investigation of Aerides odorata isolated 21 compounds, including three new constituents. In LPS-activated BV2 microglial cells, six tested compounds strongly inhibited nitric-oxide production, with compound 20 showing the lowest IC50 at 0.83 micromolar.
Key findings
- Gigantol, nudol, coelonin, dihydrocorniferyl dihydro-p-coumarate, aerifalcatin, and compound 20 inhibited NO with IC50 values of 1.82, 4.88, 2.42, 4.67, 1.37, and 0.83 micromolar, respectively. Compounds 6, 10, and 20 reduced TNF-alpha/IL-6, with evidence implicating NF-kB-dependent signaling for compound 20.
Why this matters globally
The work expands natural-product chemical space and identifies leads for further neuroinflammation research. Drug development would still require sustainable supply, target selectivity, blood-brain-barrier penetration, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety testing.
Thai researcher contribution
Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University, and NSTDA-NECTEC's ThaiSC infrastructure combined phytochemistry, cellular pharmacology, inflammation biology, and computation, demonstrating the breadth of Thailand's natural-products network.
Limitations to consider
BV2 cells are a microglial model, not the human brain. The abstract does not report cytotoxicity, selectivity indices, replication in primary cells, or animal studies. Reduced NO may arise through multiple mechanisms, and orchid sourcing raises conservation and supply considerations.