Saikosaponins from Bupleurum

From different species of this genus triterpenoid saponins have been isolated, together with other compounds such as lignans, coumarins, flavonoids and polyacetylenes. The saikosaponins from Bupleurum L. are considered as the major bioactive components mainly used for their antiinflammatory and antihepatotoxic actmties. 

Saikosaponins from Chinese Bupleurum species can inhibit the elevation of TC, TG, LDL and VLDL levels in the serum of rats with hyperlipidemia [198]. 

Given their structural relationship to steroids, many saponins are renowned for their anti-inflammatory effects. Among the most potent are saikosaponins from Bupleurum falcatum and boswellic acid from Boswellia serrata. Saikosaponins are also immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective. Some saponins have been found to reduce... 

Some species from Bupleurum genus are often used in combination with other plants as antihepatotoxic, antipyretic, analgesic, sedative and antidepresive agents. Saikosaponins extracted from B. falcatum are reported to have another variety of therapeutic activities such as alleviating hyperlipidemia, hepatic injury and chronic hepatitis as well as cardiac activities. 

Saikosaponin d (50) from Bupleurum falcatum is not suitable to be applied as an antiviral agent because of its strong cytotoxic activity on host cells, but it is highly active in vitro as an inactivating agent on viruses with envelopes such as measles and herpes [151]. 

Cyclic sulfites and sulfates in organic synthesis have been reviewed in a Tetrahedron report. The reactions of several carbohydrate-based sulfite and sulfate derivatives with nitrogen, carbon and sulfur nucleophiles are reported. In the area of natural products, five sulfated saikosaponins containing the trisaccharide unit 28 have been isolated as minor constituents from Bupleurum rigidum. The leaf-movement hormones, sulfated phenolic glycosides 29, have been shown to be plant specific, rather than being common to all plants. ... 

Some saponins have anti-inflammatory properties. The mixture of saponins from Bupleurum falcatum (Apiaceae) (a crude drug used in oriental medicine) is effective (400 mg/kg) for the treatment of edema in rats and possesses antiinflammatory activity (Hikino and Kiso, 1988). The saponins saikosaponin a and d appear to be responsible for most of the activity. 

Saikosaponin d (22) from Bupleurum radix, which itself has no mitogenic activity, decreased the spleen cell proliferative response to T cell mitogen (ConA) at a concentration of 0.1 pM, while increasing the response to B cell mitogen (LPS) at the same concentration [58]. 

Chemically, some triterpene saponin and sapogenin compounds, Saikosaponin A. Bl, B2, B3, B4, C, D, E and F, and saikogenin A, B, C, D, E and F, were isolated from the root of Bupleurum species. In addition to the saponins, a pharmacologically active essential oil was obtained from B. chinense [21, 23]. 

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