Saponins from edible spears of wild asparagus inhibit AKT, p70S6K, and ERK signalling, and induce apoptosis through G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in human colon cancer HCT-116 cells

Cytotoxicity and Chemotaxonomic Significance of Saponins from Wild and Cultured Asparagus Shoots

The shoots of Asparagus L. are consumed worldwide, although most species belonging to this genus have a restricted range, and several taxa remain unstudied. In this work, a total of four taxa from different locations were scrutinized and compared with cultivated A. officinalis. All shoots were screened for saponins via LC-MS, and in vitro antiproliferative activities against the HT-29 colorectal cancer cell line were assessed via the MTT assay. The total saponins (TS) contained in the crude extracts ranged from 710.0 (A. officinalis) to 1258.6 mg/100 g dw (A. acutifolius). The richness of the compounds detected in this work stands out; a total of 47 saponins have been detected and quantified in the edible parts (shoots) of five taxa of Asparagus. The structure of all the saponins found present skeletons of the furostane and spirostane type. In turn, the structures with a furostane skeleton are divided into unsaturated and dioxygenated types, both in the 20-22 position. The sum of dioscin and derivatives varied largely among the studied taxa, reaching the following percentages of TS: 27.11 (A. officinalis), 18.96 (A. aphyllus), 5.37 (A. acutifolius), and 0.59 (A. albus); while in A. horridus, this compound remains undetected. Aspachiosde A, D, and M varied largely among samples, while a total of seven aspaspirostanosides were characterized in the analyzed species. The hierarchical cluster analysis of the saponin profiles clearly separated the various taxa and demonstrated that the taxonomic position is more important than the place from which the samples were acquired. Thus, saponin profiles have chemotaxonomic significance in Asparagus taxa. The MTT assay showed dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effects of all saponins extracts on HT-29 cancer cells, and the strongest cell growth inhibition was exercised by A. albus and A. acutifolius (GI50 of 125 and 175 µg/mL). This work constitutes a whole approach to evaluating the saponins from the shoots of different Asparagus taxa and provides arguments for using them as functional foods.

A Review of the Pro-Health Activity of Asparagus officinalis L. and Its Components

The genus Asparagus comprises about 300 species, including A. curilus, A. filicinus, A. reacemosus, and A. officinalis L. A particularly well-known member of the genus is Asparagus officinalis L., also known as "the king of vegetables". Consuming A. officinalis makes an excellent contribution to a healthy diet. Modern studies have shown it to have a diuretic effect and promote defecation; it also demonstrates high levels of basic nutrients, including vitamins, amino acids and mineral salts. Moreover, it is rich in fiber. Asparagus contains large amounts of folic acid (10 cooked shoots provide 225 micrograms, or almost 50% of the daily requirement) and vitamin C (10 cooked shoots provide 25 mg). The present review describes the current literature concerning the pro-health properties of various parts of A. officinalis L., with a particular focus on its spears. It is based on studies identified in electronic databases, including PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Knowledge, Sci Finder, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. The data indicate that the various parts of A. officinalis, especially the spears, contain many bioactive compounds. However, although the extracts and chemical compounds isolated from A. officinalis, especially saponins, appear to have various biological properties and pro-health potential, these observations are limited to in vitro and animal in vivo models.

Applications of Saponin Extract from Asparagus Roots as Functional Ingredient

When replanting an asparagus field, the roots of the previous crop are crushed and incorporated into the soil, creating problems of autotoxicity and fungal infections. Asparagus roots can be considered as a valuable byproduct, since they are very rich in saponins (3-6%), compounds currently considered as bio-emulsifiers. The objective is to evaluate the emulsifying and foaming capacity of a saponin extract from asparagus roots (ARS) and compare it with other commercial extracts. ARS was obtained using a process patented by our research group. The results have shown that ARS has activity similar to Quillaja extract. Its critical micellar concentration falls between that of Quillaja and Tribulus extracts (0.064, 0.043, and 0.094 g/100 mL, respectively). Both emulsifying and foaming activities are affected by pH, salt, and sucrose to a similar extent as the other extracts. Additionally, it has demonstrated an inhibitory effect on pancreatic lipase, which is even better than the other two studied extracts, as indicated by its IC50 value (0.7887, 1.6366, and 2.0107 mg/mL for asparagus, Quillaja, and Tribulus, respectively). These results suggest that ARS could serve as a natural emulsifying/foaming agent for healthier and safer food products and as a potential aid in treatments for obesity and hyperlipidemia.

Comparison of the inedible parts of white and green asparagus based on metabolomics and network pharmacology

Asparagus is a perennial herb and is widely used as food and medicine in China. In this study, untargeted metabolomics analysis was applied to compare the chemical differences between the edible and inedible parts of asparagus, as well as the inedible parts of white and green asparagus. A total of 342 compounds were identified in the asparagus extracts, and 24 steroid saponins, 31 oxylipins and 36 LysoGPLs were identified for the first time in asparagus. Metabolomics analysis showed that the inedible part of white asparagus is rich in steroidal saponins, oxylipins and alkaloids, while the inedible part of green asparagus is rich in flavonoids, phenolic acids, LysoGPLs and amino acids. The inedible part of white asparagus showed significantly higher inhibitory effects on breast cancer 4T-1 cells than that of green asparagus. Network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking showed that the biological difference is related to higher levels of steroidal saponins and oxylipins in the inedible part of white asparagus. This study is useful for the wasted resource utilization of inedible parts of asparagus.

Wild Asparagus Shoots Constitute a Healthy Source of Bioactive Compounds

Wild Asparagus shoots are consumed worldwide, although most species remain understudied. In this work, a total of four wild Asparagus species were collected from different locations and analyzed compared with farmed A. officinalis. Shoots were screened for (i) phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS; (ii) total phenolic acids and total flavonoid content by the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods; (iii) vitamin C by HPLC-DAD; (iv) antioxidant activity by the DPPH and ABTS•+ methods; and (v) the in vitro antiproliferative activities against HT-29 colorectal cancer cells by the MTT assay. Phenolics ranged from 107.5 (A. aphyllus) to 605.4 mg/100 g dry weight (dw) (A. horridus). Vitamin C ranged from 15.8 (A. acutifolius) to 22.7 mg/100 g fresh weight (fw) (A. officinalis). The antioxidant activity was similar in all species, standing out in A. officinalis with 5.94 (DPPH) and 4.64 (ABTS) mmol TE/100 g dw. Among phenolics, rutin reached the highest values (574 mg/100 g dw in A. officinalis), followed by quercetin, nicotiflorin, asterin, and narcissin. The MTT assay revealed the inhibitory effects of ethanol extracts against HT-29 cancer cells, highlighting the cell growth inhibition exercised by A. albus (300 µg/mL after 72 h exposure to cells). This work improves knowledge on the phytochemicals and bioactivities of the shoots of wild Asparagus species and confirms their suitability for use as functional foods.

Steroidal Saponins: Naturally Occurring Compounds as Inhibitors of the Hallmarks of Cancer

Cancer is a global health burden responsible for an exponentially growing number of incidences and mortalities, regardless of the significant advances in its treatment. The identification of the hallmarks of cancer is a major milestone in understanding the mechanisms that drive cancer initiation, development, and progression. In the past, the hallmarks of cancer have been targeted to effectively treat various types of cancers. These conventional cancer drugs have shown significant therapeutic efficacy but continue to impose unfavorable side effects on patients. Naturally derived compounds are being tested in the search for alternative anti-cancer drugs. Steroidal saponins are a group of naturally occurring compounds that primarily exist as secondary metabolites in plant species. Recent studies have suggested that steroidal saponins possess significant anti-cancer capabilities. This review aims to summarize the recent findings on steroidal saponins as inhibitors of the hallmarks of cancer and covers key studies published between the years 2014 and 2024. It is reported that steroidal saponins effectively inhibit the hallmarks of cancer, but poor bioavailability and insufficient preclinical studies limit their utilization.

Asparagus Fructans as Emerging Prebiotics

Commercial fructans (inulin and oligofructose) are generally obtained from crops such as chicory, Jerusalem artichoke or agave. However, there are agricultural by-products, namely asparagus roots, which could be considered potential sources of fructans. In this work, the fructans extracted from asparagus roots and three commercial ones from chicory and agave were studied in order to compare their composition, physicochemical characteristics, and potential health effects. Asparagus fructans had similar chemical composition to the others, especially in moisture, simple sugars and total fructan contents. However, its contents of ash, protein and phenolic compounds were higher. FTIR analysis confirmed these differences in composition. Orafti^®GR showed the highest degree of polymerization (DP) of up to 40, with asparagus fructans (up to 25) falling between Orafti^®GR and the others (DP 10-11). Although asparagus fructan powder had a lower fructan content and lower DP than Orafti^®GR, its viscosity was higher, probably due to the presence of proteins. The existence of phenolic compounds lent antioxidant activity to asparagus fructans. The prebiotic activity in vitro of the four samples was similar and, in preliminary assays, asparagus fructan extract presented health effects related to infertility and diabetes diseases. All these characteristics confer a great potential for asparagus fructans to be included in the prebiotics market.

Comprehensive review on signaling pathways of dietary saponins in cancer cells suppression

Nutrigenomics utilizes high-throughput genomic technologies to reveal changes in gene and protein levels. Excitingly, ever-growing body of scientific findings has provided sufficient evidence about the interplay between diet and genes. Cutting-edge research and advancements in genomics, epigenetics and metabolomics have deepened our understanding on the role of dietary factors in the inhibition of carcinogenesis and metastasis. Dietary saponins, a type of triterpene glycosides, are generally found in Platycodon grandifloras, Dioscorea oppositifolia, asparagus, legumes, and sea cucumber. Wealth of information has started to shed light on pleiotropic mechanistic roles of dietary saponins in cancer prevention and inhibition. In this review, we have attempted to summarize the in vitro research of dietary saponins in the last two decades by searching common databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The results showed that dietary saponins exerted anti-cancer activities via regulation of apoptosis, autophagy, arrest cell cycle, anti-proliferation, anti-metastasis, and anti-angiogenesis, by regulation of several critical signaling pathways, including MAPK, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, NF-κB, and VEGF/VEGFR. However, there is no data about the dosage of dietary saponins for practical anti-cancer effects in human bodies. Extensive clinical studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of dietary saponins for further commercial and medical applications.

Saponins in Cancer Treatment: Current Progress and Future Prospects

Saponins are steroidal or triterpenoid glycoside that is distinguished by the soap-forming nature. Different saponins have been characterized and purified and are gaining attention in cancer chemotherapy. Saponins possess high structural diversity, which is linked to the anticancer activities. Several studies have reported the role of saponins in cancer and the mechanism of actions, including cell-cycle arrest, antioxidant activity, cellular invasion inhibition, induction of apoptosis and autophagy. Despite the extensive research and significant anticancer effects of saponins, there are currently no known FDA-approved saponin-based anticancer drugs. This can be attributed to a number of limitations, including toxicities and drug-likeness properties. Recent studies have explored options such as combination therapy and drug delivery systems to ensure increased efficacy and decreased toxicity in saponin. This review discusses the current knowledge on different saponins, their anticancer activity and mechanisms of action, as well as promising research within the last two decades and recommendations for future studies.

Phytochemical Characterization and Bioactivity of Asparagus acutifolius: A Focus on Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, Lipase Inhibitory and Antimicrobial Activities

The phytochemical composition of leaves, stems, pericarps and rhizomes ethanolic extracts of Asparagus acutifolius were characterized by HPLC-DAD-MS. A. acutifolius samples contain at least eleven simple phenolics, one flavonon, two flavonols and six steroidal saponins. The stem extracts showed the highest total phenolic acid and flavonoid contents, where cafeic acid and rutin were the main compounds. No flavonoids were detected in the leaf, pericarp or rhizome while caffeic acid and ferulic acid were the predominant. Steroidal saponins were detected in the different plant parts of A. acutifolius, and the highest contents were found in the rhizome extracts. The stem extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant activity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the highest 2,2-azino-bis (3 ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activity was found in the pericarp extracts. The rhizome and leaf extracts showed a potent cytotoxic activity against HCT-116 and HepG2 cell lines. Moreover, the pericarp and rhizome extracts revealed a moderate lipase inhibitory activity. The leaf and rhizome extracts were screened for their antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic isolates. The leaf extract exhibited a powerful inhibitory activity against all the bacteria and fungi tested.

Improving the bioactive ingredients and functions of asparagus from efficient to emerging processing technologies: A review

Historically, asparagus is a vegetable with abundant phytochemicals (polyphenols, saponins, asparagusic acid, and alkaloids) and crucial bioactivities (neuroprotective, antianxiety, antityrosinase, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antiasthma effects). Numerous investigations indicated that processing technologies have a significant influence on the physicochemical, functional, and microstructural characteristics of asparagus. This review presents an updated overview of novel applications of processing technologies, including ultrasound treatments (in terms of extraction, purification, and preservation), heating treatments (hydrothermal treatments, thermal treatments, and combination heating treatments), high-pressure processing, representative shelf-life extension technologies, and green extraction technologies. These physical technologies enhance the yields of bioactive substances, bioactivities and product quality. In addition, utilizing the novel technologies (ohmic heating, cold plasma, pulsed electric fields, membrane processing) and conventional technologies with novel effects to fully develop the potential of asparagus should also be taken into consideration in the future.

The Beneficial Health Effects of Vegetables and Wild Edible Greens: The Case of the Mediterranean Diet and Its Sustainability

The Mediterranean diet (MD) concept as currently known describes the dietary patterns that were followed in specific regions of the area in the 1950s and 1960s. The broad recognition of its positive effects on the longevity of Mediterranean populations also led to the adoption of this diet in other regions of the world, and scientific interest focused on revealing its health effects. MD is not only linked with eating specific nutritional food products but also with social, religious, environmental, and cultural aspects, thus representing a healthy lifestyle in general. However, modern lifestyles adhere to less healthy diets, alienating people from their heritage. Therefore, considering the increasing evidence of the beneficial health effects of adherence to the MD and the ongoing transitions in consumers’ behavior, the present review focuses on updating the scientific knowledge regarding this diet and its relevance to agrobiodiversity. In addition, it also considers a sustainable approach for new marketing opportunities and consumer trends of the MD.

Chemical Characterization and Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds from Saponin-Rich Extracts and Their Acid-Hydrolysates Obtained from Fenugreek and Quinoa

Saponin-rich extracts from edible seeds have gained increasing interest and their hydrolysis to sapogenin-rich extracts may be an effective strategy to enhance their potential bioactivity. However, it remains necessary to study the resulting chemical modifications of the extracts after hydrolysis as well as their impact on the subsequent bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds. The chemical composition of non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed extracts from fenugreek (FE, HFE) and quinoa (QE, HQE), and the bioaccessibility of saponins, sapogenins and other bioactive compounds after an in vitro gastrointestinal digestion was assessed. In general, FE mainly contained saponins (31%), amino acids (6%) and glycerides (5.9%), followed by carbohydrates (3.4%), fatty acids (FFA) (2.3%), phytosterols (0.8%), tocols (0.1%) and phenolics (0.05%). HFE consisted of FFA (35%), sapogenins (8%) and partial glycerides (7%), and were richer in phytosterols (1.9%) and tocols (0.3%). QE mainly contained glycerides (33%), FFA (19%), carbohydrates (16%) and saponins (7.9%), and to a lesser extent alkylresorcinols (1.8%), phytosterols (1.5%), amino acids (1.1%), tocols (0.5%) and phenolics (0.5%). HQE mainly consisted of FFA (57%), partial glycerides (23%) and sapogenins (5.4%), were richer in phytosterols (2.4%), phenolics (1.2%) and tocols (0.7%) but poorer in alkylresorcinols (1%). After in vitro digestion, saponins from FE and QE were fully bioaccessible, sapogenins from HFE displayed a good bioaccessibility (76%) and the sapogenin from HQE was moderately bioaccesible (38%). Digestion of saponin and sapogenin standards suggested that other components of the extracts were enhancing the bioaccessibility. Other minor bioactive compounds (phytosterols, alkylresorcinols, tocols and some phenolics) also displayed optimal bioaccessibility values (70–100%).

Asparanin A from Asparagus officinalis L. Induces G0/G1 Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Endometrial Carcinoma Ishikawa Cells via Mitochondrial and PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathways

Asparanin A (AA), a steroidal saponin from Asparagus officinalis L., has anticancer activity: however, its detailed molecular mechanisms in endometrial cancer (EC) have not been studied so far. We evaluated the anticancer activity and underlying mechanism of AA on EC cell line Ishikawa in vitro and in vivo. AA inhibited the Ishikawa cell proliferation and caused cell morphology alteration and cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase. Moreover, it could induce apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway, including the deregulation of Bak/Bcl-xl ratio which led to the generation of ROS, up-regulation of cytochrome c followed by decrease of Δψ_m, and activation of caspases, besides inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. In vivo data showed that administration of AA significantly inhibited the tumor tissue cell proliferation, reduced the tumor growth, and induced the apoptosis occurrence. AA can be a possible functional food ingredient to cure endometrial cancer followed by clinical trials.

Green and White Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis): A Source of Developmental, Chemical and Urinary Intrigue

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis) is one of the world's top 20 vegetable crops. Both green and white shoots (spears) are produced; the latter being harvested before becoming exposed to light. The crop is grown in nearly all areas of the world, with the largest production regions being China, Western Europe, North America and Peru. Successful production demands high farmer input and specific environmental conditions and cultivation practices. Asparagus materials have also been used for centuries as herbal medicine. Despite this widespread cultivation and consumption, we still know relatively little about the biochemistry of this crop and how this relates to the nutritional, flavour, and neutra-pharmaceutical properties of the materials used. To date, no-one has directly compared the contrasting compositions of the green and white crops. In this short review, we have summarised most of the literature to illustrate the chemical richness of the crop and how this might relate to key quality parameters. Asparagus has excellent nutritional properties and its flavour/fragrance is attributed to a set of volatile components including pyrazines and sulphur-containing compounds. More detailed research, however, is needed and we propose that (untargeted) metabolomics should have a more prominent role to play in these investigations.

Medicinal Plants in the Prevention and Treatment of Colon Cancer

The standard treatment for cancer is generally based on using cytotoxic drugs, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. However, the use of traditional treatments has received attention in recent years. The aim of the present work was to provide an overview of medicinal plants effective on colon cancer with special emphasis on bioactive components and underlying mechanisms of action. Various literature databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus, were used and English language articles were considered. Based on literature search, 172 experimental studies and 71 clinical cases on 190 plants were included. The results indicate that grape, soybean, green tea, garlic, olive, and pomegranate are the most effective plants against colon cancer. In these studies, fruits, seeds, leaves, and plant roots were used for in vitro and in vivo models. Various anticolon cancer mechanisms of these medicinal plants include induction of superoxide dismutase, reduction of DNA oxidation, induction of apoptosis by inducing a cell cycle arrest in S phase, reducing the expression of PI3K, P-Akt protein, and MMP as well; reduction of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL proteins, and decrease of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), cyclin A, cyclin D1, cyclin B1 and cyclin E. Plant compounds also increase both the expression of the cell cycle inhibitors p53, p21, and p27, and the BAD, Bax, caspase 3, caspase 7, caspase 8, and caspase 9 proteins levels. In fact, purification of herbal compounds and demonstration of their efficacy in appropriate in vivo models, as well as clinical studies, may lead to alternative and effective ways of controlling and treating colon cancer.

Advances in the antitumor activities and mechanisms of action of steroidal saponins

The steroidal saponins are one of the saponin types that exist in an unbound state and have various pharmacological activities, such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial and nerves-calming properties. Cancer is a growing health problem worldwide. Significant progress has been made to understand the antitumor effects of steroidal saponins in recent years. According to reported findings, steroidal saponins exert various antitumor activities, such as inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis and autophagy, and regulating the tumor microenvironment, through multiple related signaling pathways. This article focuses on the advances in domestic and foreign studies on the antitumor activity and mechanism of actions of steroidal saponins in the last five years to provide a scientific basis and research ideas for further development and clinical application of steroidal saponins.

Integration of Genetic and Cytogenetic Maps and Identification of Sex Chromosome in Garden Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.)

A genetic linkage map of dioecious garden asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L., 2n = 2x = 20) was constructed using F₁ population, simple sequence repeat (SSR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. In total, 1376 SNPs and 27 SSRs were used for genetic mapping. Two resulting parental maps contained 907 and 678 markers spanning 1947 and 1814 cM, for female and male parent, respectively, over ten linkage groups representing ten haploid chromosomes of the species. With the aim to anchor the ten genetic linkage groups to individual chromosomes and develop a tool to facilitate genome analysis and gene cloning, we have optimized a protocol for flow cytometric chromosome analysis and sorting in asparagus. The analysis of DAPI-stained suspensions of intact mitotic chromosomes by flow cytometry resulted in histograms of relative fluorescence intensity (flow karyotypes) comprising eight major peaks. The analysis of chromosome morphology and localization of 5S and 45S rDNA by FISH on flow-sorted chromosomes, revealed that four chromosomes (IV, V, VI, VIII) could be discriminated and sorted. Seventy-two SSR markers were used to characterize chromosome content of individual peaks on the flow karyotype. Out of them, 27 were included in the genetic linkage map and anchored genetic linkage groups to chromosomes. The sex determining locus was located on LG5, which was associated with peak V representing a chromosome with 5S rDNA locus. The results obtained in this study will support asparagus improvement by facilitating targeted marker development and gene isolation using flow-sorted chromosomes.

Ultrasound-assisted extraction and bioaccessibility of saponins from edible seeds: quinoa, lentil, fenugreek, soybean and lupin

The efficient production of saponin-rich extracts is of increasing interest due to the bioactive properties that have being demonstrated for these compounds. However, saponins have a poor bioavailability. In this respect, the knowledge about the bioaccessibility of saponins as a first step before bioavailability has been scarcely explored. In this study, the production of ultrasound-assisted extracts of saponins from edible seeds (quinoa, soybean, red lentil, fenugreek and lupin) was carried out with ethanol, ethanol:water or water. Extraction yield, total saponin (TSC), fat and total phenolics content (TPC) were determined. Then, the bioaccessibility of saponins after the in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of the extracts was determined and the effect of TPC and fat in the extracts on bioaccessibility was evaluated. The highest saponin-rich extracts were obtained by ethanol, being fenugreek and red lentil the richest extracts (12% and 10%, respectively). Saponins from ethanol:water extracts displayed variable bioaccessibility (from 13% for fenugreek to 83% for lentil), but a bioaccessibility closer to 100% was reached for all ethanol extracts. Correlation studies showed that TPC of the extracts negatively affected the bioaccessibility of saponins, whereas fat of the extracts enhanced this parameter. As summary, ultrasound-assisted extraction is shown as an efficient method for obtaining saponin-rich extracts from edible seeds, being ethanol the most advantageous solvent due to the richness of saponins and the successful bioaccessibility from these extracts, likely caused by the co-extracted fat with ethanol. Regardless of the extracts, phenolic compounds or fat may hinder or enhance the bioaccessibility of saponins, respectively. Additionally, an adequate balance between saponins to lipids has shown to be relevant on such an effect.

The phytochemical and bioactivity profiles of wild Asparagus albus L. plant

The ethanolic extracts from the leaves, pericarps and rhizomes of Asparagus albus L. were investigated for their phytochemical composition, antioxidant (DPPH and FRAP assays), anti-microbial against human pathogenic isolates and cytotoxic (human colon carcinoma HCT-116 cells) activities. The highest flavonoid content was obtained in the leaf extract followed by the pericarp but there were no flavonoids detected in the rhizome. However, the rhizome had a high concentration of saponins. Flavonoid and saponin profiles were similar to those previously described for the triguero Huetor Tajar asparagus landrace. It was found that the pericarp ethanolic extract exhibited higher antioxidant activity than rhizome and leaf extracts. Moreover, the rhizome possessed more evident cytotoxic activity against HCT-116 cells in comparison to leaf and pericarp. All extracts showed varying degrees of antimicrobial activity against most of the human pathogenic isolates. In addition, the leaves showed more powerful inhibitory activities against the maximum number of bacteria and all the fungai isolated and the highest activity was in the pericarp extract against multidrug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR) and Erythromycin resistant Streptococcus agalactiae (ER) with an inhibition zone of 21mm and 19mm, respectively. The results show that A. albus could be a new crop with pharmaceutical interest because its richness in bioactive compounds provides considerable benefits for human health.