Effects of alpha-hederin, a saponin extracted from Hedera helix, on cells cultured in vitro.
In this work, we have analysed the effects of alpha-hederin, a monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponin isolated from Hedera helix, on mouse B16 melanoma cells and non-cancer mouse 3T3 fibroblasts cultured in vitro. Our results indicate that, in a serum-free medium, alpha-hederin is cytotoxic and inhibits proliferation in both cell lines at rather low concentrations (< 5 micrograms/ml) after only 8 hours of treatment. Its cytotoxicity decreases in the presence of serum in which BSA seems to be able to bind the saponin. alpha-Hederin also induces vacuolization of the cytoplasm and membrane alterations leading to cell death.
Danloy
S
S
Laboratoire d'Histologie et de Cytologie, Université de Liège, Belgium.
Quetin-Leclercq
J
J
Coucke
P
P
De Pauw-Gillet
M C
MC
Elias
R
R
Balansard
G
G
Angenot
L
L
Bassleer
R
R
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D012503:Saponins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D012503:Saponins; C010177:beta-hederin; D009828:Oleanolic Acid