Three new neuritogenic steroidal saponins from Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl

Steroids. 2013 Dec 11;78(12-13):1171-6. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2013.08.005. Epub 2013 Sep 4.

Abstract

Three new steroidal saponins (1-3) and a known saponin (4) were isolated from Ophiopogon japonicus (Thunb.) Ker-Gawl. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analyses and chemical derivatization. The isolated compounds (1-4) were potent inducers of neuritogenesis on PC12 cells. Compound 1 showed the highest neuritogenic activity of 46% at 1 μM. The study of structure-activity relationships suggests that aglycone is important for the neuritogenic activity of the compounds. Specific inhibitor experiments and Western blot analysis suggest that 1-induced neuritogenic activity depends on the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway on PC12 cells.

Keywords: ERK phosphorylation; Neuritogenic activity; Ophiopogon japonicus; Steroidal saponins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Neurites / drug effects
  • Neurites / physiology*
  • Ophiopogon / chemistry*
  • PC12 Cells
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Saponins / chemistry
  • Saponins / isolation & purification
  • Saponins / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • 25-ruscogenin 1-O-xylopyranosyl-(1-2)-(xylopyranosyl-(1-3))fucopyranoside
  • Plant Extracts
  • Saponins