Papers of the Week

, a medicinal plant traditionally used to treat fever, pain, and inflammation in Vietnam, has been reported to possess prominent anti-inflammatory activity. This study examined the active constituents and molecular mechanisms underlying these anti-inflammatory effects using bioactivity-guided isolation in combination with cell-based assays and animal models of inflammation. Among the isolated compounds, the triterpenoid (21α)-22-hydroxyhopan-3-one () showed the most potent inhibitory effect on COX-2 expression in LPS-stimulated Raw 264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, suppressed the expression of the inflammatory mediators iNOS, IL-1β, INFβ, and TNFα in activated Raw 264.7 macrophages and alleviated the inflammatory response in carrageenan-induced paw oedema and a cotton pellet-induced granuloma model. Mechanistically, the anti-inflammatory effects of were mediated decreasing cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels by inhibiting NADPH oxidases (NOXs) and free radical scavenging activities. By downregulating ROS signalling, reduced the activation of MAPK signalling pathways, leading to decreased AP-1-dependent transcription of inflammatory mediators. These findings shed light on the chemical constituents that contribute to the anti-inflammatory actions of . and suggest that is a promising candidate for treating inflammation-related diseases.