title: Hemolytic and cytotoxic properties of saponin purified from Holothuria leucospilota sea cucumber.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Holothuroids (sea cucumbers) are members of the phylum echinodermata, which produce saponins. Saponins exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological and biological activities. In this study, we isolated the crude saponins from the body wall of the dominant Iranian species of sea cucumber, Holothuria leucospilota (H. leucospilota). The purpose of this study was to confirm the presence of saponins in the Persian Gulf H. leucospilota and study the hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of these compounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  The body wall of sea cucumber was dried and powdered and the crude saponins were isolated using various solvents. The crude saponins were further purified by column chromatography using HP-20 resin. The foam test, Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), hemolytic assay, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of saponins. Cytotoxicity was analyzed using a 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on A549 cells, a human lung cancer cell line.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The foam test, hemolytic assay, and TLC supported the presence of saponin compounds in the 80% ethanol fraction of H. leucospilota. The infrared (IR) spectrum of the extract showed hydroxyl (-OH), alkyl (C-H), ether (C-O) and ester (-C=O) absorption characteristic of teriterpenoid saponins. The C-O-C absorption indicated glycoside linkages to the sapogenins. The crude saponin extracted from sea cucumber was cytotoxic to A549 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The 80% ethanol fraction of saponin isolated from H. leucospilota exhibited hemolytic activity and offers promise as an anti-cancer candidate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mozhgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soltani
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parivar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baharara
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Amin
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kerachian
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Asili
keywords: Cytotoxicity assay; Hemolytic assay; Holothuria leucospilota; Saponin; Sea cucumber