Abstract
A new steroidal saponin, 26-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-furost-5-ene-3β,22α,26-triol 3-O-(1−4)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1−2)-[α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1−4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside [asparacochioside A (1)] was isolated from a hot water extract of the roots of Asparagus cochinchinensis, together with the known steroidal saponins protodioscin (2), methyl protodioscin (3), aspacochioside A (4), aspacochioside C (5), 15−hydroxypseudoprotodioscin (6), and chamaedroside E (7). The structure of the new compound 1 was determined by interpretation of its spectroscopic data (1D- and 2D-NMR and HR−Q−TOF−MS) and sugar analysis. The isolated compounds 1−7 were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780 and SKOV3). Asparacochioside A (1) exhibited a significant cytotoxicity against both A2780 and SKOV3 cells with IC50 values of 5.25 ± 2.2 and 46.82 ± 9.43 μM, respectively. Furthermore, asparacochioside A (1) significantly increased the percentage of Annexin V-positive cells (apoptotic cells), suggesting that asparacochioside A induces ovarian cancer cell death via apoptosis.
Highlights
Sara VitaliniThe genus Asparagus (Liliaceae) comprises over three hundred species distributed around the world and used in salads and as herbs and vegetables
The dried roots of A. cochinchinensis have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for more than two thousand years to treat fevers, renal failure, heart diseases, and lung cancer [2]
Extensive chemical studies on the roots of A. cochinchinensis have led to the identification of many compounds, such as steroidal saponins, mono, oligo, and polysaccharides, and amino acids [3,4]
Summary
The genus Asparagus (Liliaceae) comprises over three hundred species distributed around the world and used in salads and as herbs and vegetables. Asparagus cochinchinensis (Loureio) Merrill is a perennial herb distributed in Eastern Asia, including many provinces of China, Japan, and Korea [1]. The dried roots of A. cochinchinensis have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for more than two thousand years to treat fevers, renal failure, heart diseases, and lung cancer [2]. Extensive chemical studies on the roots of A. cochinchinensis have led to the identification of many compounds, such as steroidal saponins, mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides, and amino acids [3,4]. The extracts of A. cochinchinensis and the corresponding constituents have been shown to have several pharmacological effects, including anti-oxidant [5] and anti-inflammatory effects [6]. Cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines such as cervical cancer HeLa, lung cancer NCI−H460, breast cancer
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