Triterpene glycoside hemolytic activity

Triterpene glycosides of sea cucumbers demonstrate a wide spectrum of biological effects antifungal, antitumor, hemolytic, cytostatic and immunomodulatory activities [12]. The application of many preparations from sea cucumbers in traditional oriental medicine has been reported [13]. The medicinal properties of these sea food preparations are attributed to triterpene glycosides [13]. 

The importance of a linear tetrasaccharide fragment and an 18(20)-lactone for biological activity, the absence of a significant contribution of 4-0-sulfate at first xylose to activities of tetraosides and, in contrast, its important role for activity of biosides were shown for hemolytic action of triterpene glycosides from sea cucumbers [33]. It confirmed a common mechanism of their activity against membranes of both erythrocytes and fungal cells. 

Kalinin. V.I., Volkova, O.V., likhatskaya, G.N., Prokofeva, N.G., Agafonova, I.G., Anisimov, N.N., Kalinovsky, A.I., Avilov, S.A., and Stonik, V.A. (1992) Hemolytic activities of triterpene glycosides from cucumariidae family holothurians and evolution of this group of toxins./. Nat. Toxins. 1,17-30. 

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