A-Hederin

Takechi, M., Tanaka, Y. Structure-activity relationships of the saponin a-hederin. Phytochemistry 1990 29 451-452. 

Betulic acid (triterpene) a-Hederin (= Sapindoside A) (triterpene glycoside, saponin)... 

Numeroits diverse compoimds have been shown to mediate developmental toxicity by altering maternal and embryo/fetal zinc metabolism. For example, the saponin, a-hed-erirt, which is a component of oriental herbs used to treat hepatitis and infectious diseases, has been shown to induce maternal liver MT and zinc concentrations and result in decreased embryonic zinc, and increased malformations. Using an oral dose of the radioactive isotope Zn, Duffy and coworkers showed that the tissue distribution of Zn reflected the increase in hepatic MT. When rat embryos were cirltured in serum taken from rats two hours after a-hederin treatment (e.g. before the increase in maternal hver MT production), embryo development was normal. In contrast, embryos cultured in serum taken from rats 18 hours after a-hederin treatment (e.g., peak MT production) developed multiple abnormalities. The addition of zinc to the 18-hoirr post-a-hederin treated serum resulted in normal embryonic development indicating that the low zinc content of the serum was directly responsible for the a-hederin-induced teratogenicity. 

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