# Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Constituents from the Roots of Anodendron affine: Inhibition of the fMLP-Induced Superoxide Anion Generation and Molecular Docking Studies

## TL;DR

This study identifies new antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds from a native Taiwanese plant that could lead to new treatments for inflammatory diseases.

## Contribution

The discovery of two new compounds and the identification of potent anti-inflammatory activity in compounds from Anodendron affine.

## Key findings

- Compound 4-hydroxy-3-prenylbenzoic acid (5) showed stronger anti-inflammatory activity than ibuprofen.
- Molecular docking simulations suggest compounds 4 and 5 bind effectively to key inflammatory proteins p47phox and NOX2.
- Three compounds from A. affine (1, 4, and 5) are proposed as potential lead candidates for drug development.

## Abstract

Oxidative stress is a key driver of chronic inflammatory diseases. Anodendron affine is a native Formosan plant species in Taiwan that remains largely underexplored phytochemically and bioactivity. To reveal the bioactive constituents and assess its potential as a source of anti-inflammatory antioxidants, we performed bioactivity-guided fractionation and evaluated the inhibition of superoxide anion (O2•−) generation in formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine-stimulated human neutrophils. Molecular docking simulations were employed to model interactions with Formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) and the Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase complex, including neutrophil cytosol factor 1 (p47phox) and NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2), to propose a theoretical mechanism of action. Phytochemical investigation led to the isolation of two new compounds, methyl 4,5-O-diferuloyl-3-methoxyquinate (1) and 16-pregnen-3,12,20-trione (2), together with four known compounds. Notably, 4-hydroxy-3-prenylbenzoic acid (5) exhibited potent inhibitory activity (IC50 = 17.65 ± 0.97 μM), surpassing the activity of the positive control, ibuprofen (IC50 = 27.85 ± 3.56 μM). Docking studies suggested that anodendrosin H (4) and 4-hydroxy-3-prenylbenzoic acid (5) exhibit high predicted binding affinity to p47phox and NOX2. Based on these results, compounds 1, 4, and 5 from A. affine were identified as potential lead candidates for the development of novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics.