Abstract
Phytochemical investigation on the roots of Asparagus cochinchinensis led to the isolation of one new furostanol saponin, named 26-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-22α-hydroxyl-(25R)-Δ5(6)-furost-3β,26-diol-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-[β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside (1), along with three known congeners (2‒4). The structure of new saponin was elucidated via comprehensive inspection of its HRMS and NMR spectral data as well as chemical technology, whereas those of known ones were identified by comparison of their NMR and MS spectral data with those reported in literatures. All isolated saponins were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects on two human liver (MHCC97H) and lung adenocarcinoma (H1299) cancer cells in vitro. Among them, both 1 and 2 showed significant cytotoxicity against above mentioned cell lines. Further studies revealed that these two saponins could significantly inhibit their proliferation of MHCC97H and H1299 cells.Graphic
Highlights
Steroid saponins, whose aglycones were usually a spirostanol or its derivatives [1], were commonly found from roots, tubers, leaves, blooms or seeds in more than 100 families of plants [2, 3]
The abovementioned data indicated that the aglycone of 1 should be a furostanol one as that of protodioscin (2) [21]
Two human cancer (MHCC97H and H1299) cell lines were incubated in 96-well plates at a density of 2 × 1 03 cells/well in DMEM medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum at 37 °C with 5% C O2
Summary
Steroid saponins, whose aglycones were usually a spirostanol or its derivatives [1], were commonly found from roots, tubers, leaves, blooms or seeds in more than 100 families of plants [2, 3]. Apart from steroidal saponins [12], phenolic compounds [13], norlignans [14] and alkaloids [15] have been isolated from this plant as revealed by previous phytochemical studies. Steroidal saponins obtained from title species were proved to be its major and bioactive components responsible for its cytotoxic [16], antiinflammatory [17], hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic [18], and anti-neuroinflammatory [11] properties. In continuation of a search for bioactive constituents from plants of the Yunnan province [19], a chemical investigation was performed on the roots of A. cochinchinens. A total of steroidal saponins (1‒4) were isolated and identified including one new and three previously described furostan-type steroidal saponins. Their cytotoxic effects on two human cancer cells MHCC97H and H1299 were evaluated (Fig. 1)
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