Phosphatase-inhibitory activity and activation of murine macrophages by new 5'-nucleotidase inhibitors, NPF-86IA, NPF-86IB, NPF-86IIA and NPF-86IIB

New 5'-nucleotidase-inhibitory polyphenols named NPF-86IA, NPF-86IB, NPF-86IIA and NPF-86IIB were isolated from the seeds of Areca catechu L. The ability of the inhibitors to precipitate gelatin was investigated by microturbidimetry. These inhibitors produced weak turbidity. As 5'-nucleotidase is a kind of phosphatase, we examined the effects of these inhibitors on alkaline and acidic phosphatases. While they showed moderate inhibitory effects on the activity of acidic phosphatases, they did not have any significant effect on the activity of alkaline phosphatase. Therefore, they showed a higher inhibitory effect on the 5'-nucleotidase than the other phosphatases, Murine macrophages were directly stimulated by the 5'-nucleotidase inhibitors.