Triterpene glycoside cytotoxic activity

Some triterpene glycosides from holothurians belonging to the family Stichopodidae show also antitumor activities [67, 60]. Holotoxin Al (33) from Apostichopus (=Stichopus) japonicus inhibited the growth of the solid form of Ehrlich tumor and Sarcoma-37 in mice on 37-65 and 13-53 %, respectively, at doses of 1.25 and 2.50 mg/kg. Triterpene glycosides from Holothuria forskali have cytotoxic activities against tumor cells [68]. 

Table 9. Cytotoxic activity of triterpene glycosides from Cucumaria echinata (IC50 ( tg/ml)) against L1210 and RB cell growth in vitro...

These cucurbitane triterpenoids have been well known as bitter principles in Cucurbitaceous plants, but compound 114 had a strong sweet taste. The cytotoxic activities of several cucurbitane triterpenes have already been reported, but the anti-tumor-promoting activities of these triteijienoids have not been reported thus far. Therefore, there is quite a possibility that novel chemopreventive agents will be developed from cucurbitane glycosides. 

Anisimov, M.M., N.G. Prokofieva, L.Y. Korotkikh, I.I. Kapustina, and V.A. Stonik Comparative Study of Cytotoxic Activity of Triterpene Glycosides from Marine Organisms. Toxicon 18, 221 (1980). 

Smirnov, A.V., Dmitrenok, P.S., Evtushenko, E.V., Fedorov, S.N., Savina, A.S., Shubina, LK., and Stonik, V.A. (2008) Synaptosides A and A], triterpene glycosides from the sea cucumber Synapta maculata containing 3-O-methylglucuronic add and iheir cytotoxic activity against tumor cells./. Nat. Prod., 71, 525-531. 

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