In vitro BACE-1 inhibitory phenolic components from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia

A new isoflavone, neocorylin ( 1) was isolated from the seeds extract of Psoralea corylifolia L. (Fabaceae), together with eight known constituents ( 2 - 9), i. e., bakuchiol ( 2), psoralen ( 3), bavachromene ( 4), isobavachromene ( 5), bavachalcone ( 6), isobavachalcone ( 7), 7,8-dihydro-8-(4-hydrophenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-2 H,6 H-[1,2- B:5,4- B']dipyran-6-one ( 8), and bavachinin ( 9). The structure of the new isoflavone 1 was elucidated as 7-hydroxy-3-[2-methyl-2-(4-methylpenten-3-yl)-2 H-chromen-6-yl]-4 H-chromen-4-one by spectroscopic analyses. Neocorylin ( 1) as well as related compounds 2, 4 - 6, 8 and 9 exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on baculovirus-expressed BACE-1 in vitro.