Isolation, identification and cytotoxicity of a new noroleanane-type triterpene saponin from Salicornia bigelovii Torr

Molecules. 2015 Apr 10;20(4):6419-31. doi: 10.3390/molecules20046419.

Abstract

Salicornia bigelovii Torr. has been consumed not only as a popular kind of vegetable, but also as a medicinal plant to treat hypertension, cephalalgia, scurvy and cancer. The present study was designed to investigate its chemical components and cytotoxic activity. A new noroleanane-type triterpene saponin, bigelovii C (1), was separated and purified from Salicornia bigelovii Torr., along with four known triterpene saponins 2-5. The structure of bigelovii C was elucidated as 3-O-(6-O-butyl ester)-β-D-glucuropyranosyl-23-aldehyde-30-norolean-12, 20 (29)-dien-28-oic acid-28-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, according to various spectroscopic analysis and chemical characteristics. Besides Compounds 3 and 5, bigelovii C had potent cytotoxicity against three human cancer cell lines, MCF7 (breast cancer), Lovo (colon cancer) and LN229 (glioblastoma), especially MCF7. Bigelovii C inhibited the growth of MCF7 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that the percentage of apoptotic cells significantly increased upon bigelovii C treatment. Rh123 staining assay indicated that bigelovii C reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential. The mechanism of cell death by bigelovii C may be attributed to the downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax, cleaved caspase-9, caspase-7 and PARP. These results suggested that bigelovii C may impart health benefits when consumed and should be regarded as a potential chemopreventative agent for cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / toxicity
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / genetics
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / drug effects
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Saponins / chemistry*
  • Saponins / isolation & purification
  • Saponins / toxicity*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Streptophyta / chemistry*
  • Triterpenes / chemistry*
  • Triterpenes / isolation & purification
  • Triterpenes / toxicity*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Saponins
  • Triterpenes