Phenolic compounds isolated from Dioscorea zingiberensis protect against pancreatic acinar cells necrosis induced by sodium taurocholate.

One new bibenzyl (1) and one new phenanthrene (2), together with two known bibenzyls (3-4) and four known diarylheptanoids (5-8) were isolated from the rhizomes of Dioscorea zingiberensis. The structures of 1-2 were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR. Phenols 1-8 were evaluated for their anti-pancreatitic activities on sodium taurocholate (NaT)-induced pancreatic acinars necrosis. Notably, 0.5mM of compound 6 exhibited comparable inhibitory effect with 5mM of caffeine. Furthermore, compound 6 prevented the ATP depletion and excessive ROS production which could be also involved in mitochondria-mediated injuries in acute pancreatitis. As a result, compound 6 has been demonstrated to be a potential candidate for mediating mitochondrial dysfunction to prevent pancreatic necrosis. This study is also the first report on the isolation of bibenzyls and diarylheptanoids from this plant.