Triepoxide diterpenes

In China, the plant is used to treat rheumatic inflammation. The anti-inflammatory property is substantiated, and a surprising amount of evidence is available. Note that the main anti-inflammatory principle of Tripterygium uiildfordii is a diterpene triepoxide known as triptolide, which posseses potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties (103,104). 

In the course of these research programmes, many characteristic bioactive compounds have been reported. Polyester sesquiterpenes and pyridine-sesquiterpene alkaloids with insect antifeedant or insecticidal properties have been isolated from some species and recently sesquiterpene pyridine alkaloids with immunosuppressive or antitumoral activities have also been described. Diterpene triepoxides with potent antileukemic and immunosupressive activities and triterpenoid quinonemethides, named as celastroloids , with antibiotic and cytostatic activities, have been isolated from species of the Celastraceae family. 

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