Rapanone is a natural benzoquinone. Rapanone exhibits a broad spectrum of biological actions, including anti-tumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiparasitic. Rapanone also is a potent and selective human synovial PLA2 inhibitor, with an IC50 of 2.6 μM[1][2][3][4].

Rapanone (10-40 μM; 24 h) inhibits the cell viability, with IC50s of 35.58 μM and 27.89 μM for primary rats hepatocytes and HepG2 cells, respectively[1].Rapanone (10-40 μM; 24 h) induces a concentration-dependent mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation, ATP depletion, hydrogen peroxide generation and, phosphatidyl serine externalization in HepG2 cells[1].Rapanone inhibits electron transport at Complex III and promotes mitochondrial dysfunction[1].

Rapanone (2.5-10 mg/kg; i.p.) exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in the carrageenan paw oedema model in mice[4].

[1]. Andreu GLP, et, al. Rapanone, a naturally occurring benzoquinone, inhibits mitochondrial respiration and induces HepG2 cell death. Toxicol In Vitro. 2020 Mar;63:104737.
[2]. Morais LS, et, al. Antileishmanial compounds from Connarus suberosus: Metabolomics, isolation and mechanism of action. PLoS One. 2020 Nov 6;15(11):e0241855.
[3]. Vega-HernÁndez K, et, al. Discerning the antioxidant mechanism of rapanone: A naturally occurring benzoquinone with iron complexing and radical scavenging activities. J Inorg Biochem. 2017 May;170:134-147.
[4]. Ospina LF, et, al. Inhibition of acute and chronic inflammatory responses by the hydroxybenzoquinonic derivative rapanone. Planta Med. 2001 Dec;67(9):791-5.