Cytotoxic saponins from the root of Dipsacus asper wall.

Cytotoxic activity of seven hederagenin saponins isolated from the root of Dipsacus asper were investigated in vitro against L1210, HL-60, and SK-OV-3 tumor cell lines by the MTT method. 3- O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin ( 2), 3- O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-Rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin ( 6) and 3- O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin ( 7) exhibited the potent cytotoxicity against the three tumor cell lines with IC₅₀ values ranging from 4.7 to 8.7 μg/mL, with the exception of compound 7, which exhibited weak cytotoxic activity against SK-OV-3 (IC₅₀ 22.5 μg/mL). Other compounds did not exhibit any cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀>30 μg/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]