Steroidal Saponins fromAsparagus officinalisand Their Cytotoxic Activity

Authors:
  • OPOnoomar Poobrasert
    Onoomar Poobrasert
  • EKEdward Kennelly
    Edward Kennelly
  • CCChee-Kok Chin
    Chee-Kok Chin
  • CHChi-Tang Ho
    Chi-Tang Ho
  • MHMou-Tuan Huang
    Mou-Tuan Huang
  • SGStephen Garrison
    Stephen Garrison
  • GCGeoffrey Cordell
    Geoffrey Cordell
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Abstract
Two oligofurostanosides were isolated from the seeds of Asparagus officinalis L. and their structures characterized as 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-{α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)}-β-D-glucopyranosyl]-26-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl]-(25R)-22α-methoxyfurost-5-ene-3β,26-diol (methyl protodioscin) and its corresponding 22α-hydroxy analogue (protodioscin). The structural identification was performed using detailed analysis of 1H-and 13C-NMR spectra including two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy (COSY, HMQC, NOESY and HMBC), and chemical conversions. These two compounds have been shown to inhibit the growth of human leukemia HL-60 cells in culture and macro-molecular synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect on DNA synthesis was found to be irreversible.