Eleven new 9,19-cycloartane triterpenes (1–9, 11–12) and one undescribed lanostane-type aglycone (10) were identified from the aerial parts of Cimicifuga yunnanensis. The new structures were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data. Compounds 3–5, 7–9, and 11, without obvious cytotoxicity at 50 μM, were evaluated for inhibiting the mRNA expressions of atherosclerosis-related factors of CD147 (extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, EMMPRIN), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) induced Human monocytic THP-1 cells by using a quantitative real-time PCR method (q-PCR). Among them, aglycones 7 and 8 showed potent activities, whereas all tested glycosides were inactive. Compounds 7 and 8 suppressed the mRNA expression of CD147 in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 3.38 ± 0.27 μM and 8.25 ± 0.33 μM, respectively. Besides, 7 dose-related down-regulated the mRNA expression of MMP-2, and MMP-9, having an IC50 value of 6.32 ± 0.31 μM and 11.57 ± 0.23 μM, respectively. Meanwhile, 8 at 10 μM reduced the mRNA expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 by 35% and 25%, respectively. Significantly, the migration ability of the induced THP-1 cells was potently and dose-dependently inhibited by 7, with an IC50 value of 5.87 ± 0.27 μM.
