A member of the class of psoralens that is psoralen substituted by a prenyloxy group at position 8. Isolated from Angelica dahurica and Angelica koreana, it acts as a acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.

InChI=1S/C16H14O4/c1-10(2)5-7-19-16-14-12(6-8-18-14)9-11-3-4-13(17)20-15(11)16/h3-6,8-9H,7H2,1-2H3

Imperatorin, a biologically active furanocoumarin from the roots of Angelica dahurica (Umbelliferae), can induce apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukaemia, HL-60 cells,
and induces apoptosis was significantly blocked by Z-VAD-FMK (a broad spectrum caspase inhibitor), Z-LEHD-FMK (a caspase-9 inhibitor) and Ac-DMQD-CHO (a caspase-3 inhibitor), but not by Z-IEDT-FMK (a caspase-8 inhibitor).[1]
Imperatorin and quercetin are potent apoptosis inducers, especially when they act synergistically, which may be a promising combination useful in glioma therapy, it also blocks the HSP27 and HSP72 gene expression might serve as a therapeutic target for the human brain cancer.[2]
Imperatorin has been used in herbal formulations for the treatment of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, it exerts considerable anti‑proliferative activities in HT‑29 colon cancer cells and highlight the potential of imperatorin as an anticancer agent for colon cancer.[3]
Imperatorin exerts anti-inflammatory activity, also has effects on inhibition of degranulation and eicosanoid generation through the suppression of multiple steps of IgE/Ag-mediated signaling pathways would be beneficial for the prevention of allergic inflammation.[4]
Imperatorin has anticonvulsant effects, dampens neuronal excitability by inhibiting voltage-gated Na + channels (VGSC).[5]

English website: Imperatorin
Japanese website: Imperatorin
Chinese website: Imperatorin

[1] Pae H O, Oh H, Yun Y G, et al. Pharm Toxicol, 2002, 91(1):40–48.
[2] Wu K C, Chen Y H, Cheng K S, et al. Eur J Pharmacol, 2013, 721(1–3):49-55.
[3] Zheng Y M, Lu A X, Shen J Z, et al. Oncol Rep, 2016.
[4] D Bądziul, Jakubowicz-Gil J, Langner E, et al. Pharmacol Rep , 2014, 66(2):292-300.
[5] Jeong K T, Lee E, Park N Y, et al. Biomol Ther, 2015, 23(5):421-7.
[6] Xue J, Ping W, Yang W, et al. Chemistry & Industry of Forest Products, 2008, 28(3):101-3.