Planta Med. 2002 Nov; 68(11): 986-94.

Cycloartane and oleanane saponins from egyptian astragalus spp. as modulators of lymphocyte proliferation.

Verotta L, Guerrini M, El-Sebakhy NA, Assad AM, Toaima SM, Radwan MM, Luo YD, Pezzuto JM.

Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Industriale, Milano, Italy. luisella.verotta@unimi.it

From the roots of Astragalus kahiricus DC., three known saponins, namely, astraversianin VI, astraversianin X, astragaloside VIII, and a new saponin were isolated and identified by spectral data. The structure of the latter was elucidated by spectral means and assigned as cycloastragenol 3- O-[ beta- D-(2',3'-diacetyl, 4'- trans-2-butenoyl)-xylopyranosyl], 6- O- beta- D-xylopyranoside (kahiricoside I). From the aerial parts of A. hamosus L., the known compounds azukisaponin V and peregrinoside I were isolated. As judged by in vitro tests, the saponins isolated from Astragalus spp. endemic to Egypt were not cytotoxic against a variety of human cancer cells. However, dose-related modulation of lymphocyte proliferation was observed, and structure-activity relationships are described.