Compounds isolated from this species include norlignans ⁽¹⁵⁾, steroidal saponins ⁽¹⁶⁾, pregnane glycosides, aspacochinosides, and furostanol glycosides, some of which may have anti-neuroinflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide-induced murine microglial cells via inhibition of nitric oxide production ⁽¹¹⁾. An aqueous extract of asparagus root inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion in mouse astrocytes ⁽⁴⁾. Asparagus root also reduces alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity in Hep G2 cell lines ⁽³⁾.

In vitro and murine models of lung inflammation suggest that methylprotodioscin is the active constituent that protects against airway inflammation ^(10) (13). Dioscin and methylprotodioscin suppressed airway mucin gene expression and production by acting directly on airway epithelial cells ⁽¹⁰⁾. Methylprotodioscin inhibited production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IL-1beta in lung tissue ⁽¹³⁾, and downregulated proinflammatory cytokine production via c-Jun N-terminal kinase/c-Jun pathway inhibition in lung cancer cells ⁽¹³⁾.