oleanane and hopane

An extract of Glinus lotoides, a medicinal plant used in Africa and Asia for various therapeutic purposes, was recently shown to cause DNA damage in vitro. To further explore the potential genotoxicity of this plant, fractionation of the crude extract was performed using reverse phase solid-phase extraction and a stepwise gradient elution of methanol in water. Four fractions were collected and subsequently analysed for their DNA damaging effects in mouse lymphoma cells using an alkaline version of the comet assay. To identify potential genotoxic and non-genotoxic principles, each fraction was then subjected to liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, LC-MS/MS. 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance analyses were used to confirm the identity of some saponins. Although fractions containing a mixture of flavonoids and oleanane-type saponins or oleanane-type saponins alone produced no DNA damage, those containing hopane-type saponins exhibited a pronounced DNA damaging effect without affecting the viability of the cells. To conclude, even if this study presents evidence that hopane-type of saponins are endowed with a DNA damaging ability, further studies are needed before individual saponins can be cited as a culprit for the previously reported genotoxicity of the crude extract of G. lotoides.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line, Tumor; Chromatography, Liquid; Comet Assay; DNA Damage; Mice; Molluginaceae; Oleanolic Acid; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Saponins; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Triterpenes

Three new hopane saponins, lotoidosides A - C (1 - 3), and four new oleanane saponins, lotoidosides D - G (4 - 7), were isolated from the roots of Glinus lotoides L. (Molluginaceae). Their structures were determined by extensive 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy and ESI-MS analysis. The antiproliferative activity of compounds 1 - 7 was evaluated using three continuous murine and human culture cell lines J774.A1, HEK-293, WEHI-164. Compounds 1 and 3 - 7 showed significant cytotoxicity against the three cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 0.018 to 0.62 microM, while compound 2 exerted a weak activity only against the cell line HEK-293.

Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; Cell Line, Tumor; Glycosides; Humans; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Mice; Molluginaceae; Oleanolic Acid; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Triterpenes