Saponins astragalus

No rational and corrected review on the so far described Astragalus saponins is presently available. Recently, a paper describing the pharmacological properties of Astragalus species has been published [20]. It reports an overview of the biological properties of the different metabolites present in the genus. 

In general, Astragalus saponins exert a positive and direct effect on the function of heart. Alternatively, they help to treat related diseases. For instance, they inhibit the formation of lipid peroxides in the cardiac muscle or in the liver, influence the function of enzymes contained in them, decrease blood coagulation, cholesterol and sugar levels in blood, and stimulate the immunological system. They act either direct, blocking the transfer of Ca2+ ions or modulating the function of Na+-K+-ATPase, or, alternatively, help resorb other active principles [150]. 

Recently, lymphocyte stimulation tests were performed in order to evaluate the immunomodulatory properties of Astragalus saponins. Lymphocyte proliferation or transformation is a process whereby de novo DNA synthesis takes place in response to a mitogen or any other appreciable stimulator (concanavallin A). Astraversianins II, and X, astragalosides I, II, IV and VI and cyclocantosides E and G isolated from A. melanophrurius were able to stimulate mouse lymphocyte proliferation in the concentration range of 0.01-10 (ig/ml. At higher concentration, inhibition of thymidine incorporation was observed [72]. 

About 130 saponins have been described in Astragalus spp. untill now. Table (2). D-xylose (xyl), D-glucose (g c), L-rhamnose (rha), L-arabinose (ara) represent the carbohydrate components of these glycosides pentoses are more frequent then hexoses. Apiose (apio), in the furanosic form, occurs only in cycloaraloside C, named also astrailienin A [140,61]. Glucuronic acid has been found only in pentacyclic triterpene saponins (as in soyasaponins). Astragalus saponins of cycloartane series... 

Astragalus polysaccharides Astragalus saponins Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. 

Zhang YD, Shen JP, Song J, Wang YL, Shao YN, Li CF, Zhou SH, Li YF, Li DX (1984) Effects of Astragalus saponin I on cAMP and cGMP level in plasma and DNA synthesis in regenerating liver. Acta Pharm Sin 19 619-621... 

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