title: Cytotoxicity and apoptosis-inducing effect of steroidal saponins from Dioscorea zingiberensis Wright against cancer cells.
abstract: Steroidal saponins from Dioscorea zingiberensis Wright (DZW) have shown cytotoxic activity in cancer cells. In this study, we isolated and identified seven steroidal saponins from the rhizomes of DZW: diosgenin, trillin, diosgenin diglucoside, deltonin, zingiberensis saponin (ZS), protodeltonin and parvifloside. Our results showed that these seven compounds inhibited the proliferation of a panel of established human and murine cancer cell lines in vitro. ZS had more cytotoxic effect than the other saponins, even close to doxorubicin on the murine colon carcinoma cell line C26. The proliferation inhibitory effect of ZS was associated with its apoptosis-inducing effect by activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9 and specific proteolytic cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase. Exposure of C26 to ZS also resulted in Bax upregulation and Bcl-2 downregulation. In conclusion, the findings of this study demonstrated that ZS is an effective natural agent for cancer therapy, which may be mediated, in part, by induction of apoptosis, and DZW's potential as an anticancer agent is worth being further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ethnopharmacology, Regenerative Medicine ResYarch Center, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Keyuan 4 Road No. 1,Gaopeng Avenue, Gaoxin District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Qing-Yi
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Qing-Bing
authors.initials: QB
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qing
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiao-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D027742:Dioscorea / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013256:Steroids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D012503:Saponins; D013256:Steroids