title: The in vitro structure-related anti-cancer activity of ginsenosides and their derivatives.
abstract: Panax ginseng has long been used in Asia as a herbal medicine for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, including cancer. The current study evaluated the cytotoxic potency against a variety of cancer cells by using ginseng ethanol extracts (RSE), protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type, protopanaxatriol (PPT)-type ginsenosides fractions, and their hydrolysates, which were prepared by stepwise hydrolysis of the sugar moieties of the ginsenosides. The results showed that the cytotoxic potency of the hydrolysates of RSE and total PPD-type or PPT-type ginsenoside fractions was much stronger than the original RSE and ginsenosides; especially the hydrolysate of PPD-type ginsenoside fractions. Subsequently, two derivatives of protopanaxadiol (1), compounds 2 and 3, were synthesized via hydrogenation and dehydration reactions of compound 1. Using those two derivatives and the original ginsenosides, a comparative study on various cancer cell lines was conducted; the results demonstrated that the cytotoxic potency was generally in the descending order of compound 3 > 20(S)-dihydroprotopanaxadiol (2) > PPD (1) > 20(S)-Rh2 > 20(R)-Rh2 ≈ 20(R)-Rg3 ≈ 20(S)-Rg3. The results clearly indicate the structure-related activities in which the compound with less polar chemical structures possesses higher cytotoxic activity towards cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Shum Yiu Foon Shum Bik Chuen Memorial Centre for Cancer and Inflammation Research, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, 7 Baptist University Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Vincent Kam Wai
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jing-Rong
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhi-Hong
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D012502:Sapogenins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D036145:Ginsenosides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012502:Sapogenins; C081552:protopanaxatriol; C062916:protopanaxadiol