title: Cytotoxic steroidal saponins from the flowers of Allium leucanthum.
abstract: Allium leucanthum C. Koch is an endemic Caucasian species that grows in Georgia. The flowers are used in traditional medicine. Phytochemical investigation allowed the isolation of seven spirostanol type saponins from the flowers. Their structures were elucidated on the base of NMR and HRESIMS spectrometry data. A new compound, which we have named leucospiroside A (5), has been identified as (25R)-5alpha-spirostane-2alpha,3beta,6beta-triol 3-O-beta-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[beta-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-beta-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-galactopyranoside. The six others were known substances, but are described in this plant for the first time. The crude extract, spirostanol and furostanol fractions, as well as isolated compounds, were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity. Compounds 1-3 and 5 were found to be the most active, with relatively similar IC50 values ranging from 3.7 to 5.8 microM for a lung cancer cell line (A549) and 5.6 to 8.2 microM for a colon cancer cell line (DLD-1).
authors.affiliation: Tbilisi State Medical University, Departement of Pharmacognosy, 33, Vazha Pshavela Ave., Tbilisi, 0177, Georgia. andre_pichette@uqac.ca
authors.forename: Lasha
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mskhiladze
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Legault
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lavoie
authors.forename: Vakhtang
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mshvildadze
authors.forename: Jumber
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuchukhidze
authors.forename: Riad
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pichette
mesh_terms: D000490:Allium / Q000737:chemistry*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010840:Phytosterols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins