title: Cytotoxic activity of Pulsatilla chinensis saponins and their structure-activity relationship.
abstract: The cytotoxic activity of 36 saponins isolated from roots of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel against the human cancer cell lines (A549, SGC-7901) and the human hepatic cell line (HL-7702) was tested by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Saponins 1-14 showed considerable cytotoxic activity, whereas saponins 15-36 showed no significant activity, which suggested that a free carboxylic group located at C-28 of aglycon is essential for their cytotoxic activity. Moreover, the analysis of structure-activity relationships also suggested that the oleanane-type saponins showed better cytotoxic activity than lupane-type saponins, and the length and linkage of glycolic chain attached to C-3 of aglycon displayed an important effect to the potent cytotoxicity. In conclusion, oleanolic acid 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)]-α-l-arabinopyranoside (5) exhibited the most significant cytotoxic activity.
authors: School of Pharmaceutical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
authors: Kun
authors: K
authors: Xu
authors: Zhan
authors: Z
authors: Shu
authors: Qiong-Ming
authors: QM
authors: Xu
authors: Yan-Li
authors: YL
authors: Liu
authors: Xiao-Ran
authors: XR
authors: Li
authors: Yong-Lin
authors: YL
authors: Wang
authors: Shi-Lin
authors: SL
authors: Yang
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D009828:Oleanolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D031946:Pulsatilla / Q000737:chemistry*; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009828:Oleanolic Acid; D012503:Saponins; D014315:Triterpenes; C583252:oleanolic acid 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-2)-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-4))-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside; C480546:lupane; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes