Cytotoxic epimeric ginsenosides from the flower buds of Panax ginseng

Steroids. 2019 Mar:143:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2018.12.002. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Abstract

Three pairs of ginsenoside epimers, including three new compounds (2, 3 and 5), were isolated from the flower buds of Panax ginseng. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of considerable spectroscopic analyses and comparison with the reported data. All six compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicties against three human cancer cell lines, HL-60, MGC80-3 and Hep-G2. Compounds 1, 3, and 6 with S configurations at C-24 or C-20 showed moderate inhibitory activities with IC50 values of 25.32, 18.76, and 38.64 μM in HL-60 cells, respectively. Our findings showed that different configurations of these isolated ginsenosides had a significant impact on the antitumor activity, and S epimers were higher than R.

Keywords: (R)- or (S)-stereoisomers; Cytotoxic activity; Ginsenosides; Panax ginseng.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Flowers / chemistry*
  • Ginsenosides / chemistry*
  • Ginsenosides / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Hydrolysis
  • Panax / chemistry*
  • Stereoisomerism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Ginsenosides