title: Anti-tumour and immunomodulating activities of diosgenin, a naturally occurring steroidal saponin.
abstract: Diosgenin is a naturally occurring steroidal saponin abundantly present in many medical plants. In this study, diosgenin could significantly inhibit the growth of sarcoma-180 tumour cells in vivo, and remarkably increase thymus and spleen weights of S-180-bearing mice and upgrade the secretion level of TNF-α in serum. Moreover, diosgenin could stimulate lymphocyte transformation and enhance phagocytic capability of macrophages in vitro, and remarkably promoted the secretion of NO and TNF-α in macrophages. These results suggested that diosgenin could improve both specific and non-specific cellular immune responses, and the anti-tumour effects of diosgenin were achieved by immunostimulating properties instead of direct cytotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: College of Chinese Medicine Materials, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130116, China.
authors.forename: Zhongmei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yudan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Xiantao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bai
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bing
authors.forename: Lianxue
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Huaisheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wenjie
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004144:Diosgenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D012510:Sarcoma 180 / Q000188:drug therapy; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004144:Diosgenin