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Abstract: This study was carried out to assess the cytotoxicity of several new synthetic steroidal saponins against the human myeloid leukemia cell lines (HL-60 and U937) and against human melanoma cells (SK-MEL-1). Several diosgenyl glycosides analyzed showed strong cell growth inhibition which was associated with alterations in cell cycle progression and induction of apoptosis. Studies of cytochrome c release and caspase-9 activation suggest a main role of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in the mechanism of cytotoxicity caused by this kind of compounds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper reports on the cytotoxic effect induced by a new natural steroidal saponin, icogenin, on the myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60. Icogenin was found to be a cytotoxic compound IC50 2.6 ± 0.9 μM at 72 h, with growth inhibition caused by the induction of apoptosis, as determined by microscopy of nuclear changes and the fragmentation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]