Steroidal saponins from the leaves of Cordyline stricta

Two new steroidal saponins from the roots of Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev

Two new steroidal saponins, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-22α-methoxy-5α-furost-25(27)-ene-1β,3β,26-triol 1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), and 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-22α-methoxy-furosta-5,25(27)-diene-1β,3β,26-triol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fucopyranoside (2) were isolated and elucidated from the roots of Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. Their structures were established by interpretation of spectroscopic data (1 D and 2 D NMR) and mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS).

Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry, and Biological Activities of the Genus Cordyline

Cordyline species have a long history in traditional medicine as a basis of treatment for various ailments such as a bloody cough, dysentery, and a high fever. There are about 26 accepted species names in this genus distributed worldwide, including C. fruticosa, C. autralis, C. stricta, C. cannifolia, and C. dracaenosides. This work presents a comprehensive review of the traditional uses of plants of the genus Cordylie and their chemical constituents and biological activities. A bibliographic search was conducted to identify available information on ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, chemical composition, and biological activities. A total of 98 isolated compounds potentially responsible for most of the traditional medicinal applications have been reported from eight species of Cordyline and are characterised as flavonoid, spirostane, furostane, and cholestane glycosides. Some of these pure compounds, as well as extracts from some species of Cordyline, have exhibited noteworthy anti-oxidant, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, and hypolipidemic activities. Although many of these species have not yet been investigated phytochemically or pharmacologically, they remain a potential source of new bioactive compounds.

Advances in the Biosynthesis and Molecular Evolution of Steroidal Saponins in Plants

Steroidal saponins are an important type of plant-specific metabolite that are essential for plants' responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Because of their extensive pharmacological activities, steroidal saponins are also important industrial raw materials for the production of steroidal drugs. In recent years, more and more studies have explored the biosynthesis of steroidal saponins in plants, but most of them only focused on the biosynthesis of their molecular skeleton, diosgenin, and their subsequent glycosylation modification mechanism needs to be further studied. In addition, the biosynthetic regulation mechanism of steroidal saponins, their distribution pattern, and their molecular evolution in plants remain unclear. In this review, we summarized and discussed recent studies on the biosynthesis, molecular regulation, and function of steroidal saponins. Finally, we also reviewed the distribution and molecular evolution of steroidal saponins in plants. The elucidation of the biosynthesis, regulation, and molecular evolutionary mechanisms of steroidal saponins is crucial to provide new insights and references for studying their distribution, diversity, and evolutionary history in plants. Furthermore, a deeper understanding of steroidal saponin biosynthesis will contribute to their industrial production and pharmacological applications.

Steroidal glycosides from the Vietnamese cultivar Cordyline fruticosa "Fairchild red"

A phytochemical study of Cordyline fruticosa "Fairchild red" (Asparagaceae) from Vietnam, led to the isolation of fourteen steroidal glycosides, including twelve previously undescribed along with two known ones. Ten compounds were obtained by successive solid/liquid chromatographic methods from an aqueous-ethanolic extract of the roots, and four from the aerial parts. Their structures were elucidated mainly by spectroscopic analysis 2D NMR and mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), as spirostanol glycosides, 5α-spirost-25(27)-ene-1β,3β,4α-triol 1-O-β-D-fucopyranoside, 5α-spirost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,4α-triol 1-O-β-D-xylopyranoside, 5α-spirost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,4α-triol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-fucopyranoside, 5α-spirost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,4α-triol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-(4-O-sulfo)-β-D-fucopyranoside, 5α-spirost-25(27)-ene-1β,3β-diol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-fucopyranoside, and 5α-spirost-25(27)-ene-1β,3β-diol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-α-L-arabinopyranoside. Furostanol glycosides were also isolated as 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5α-furost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,4α,22α,26-pentol 1-O-β-D-fucopyranoside, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-22α-methoxy-5α-furost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,4α,26-tetrol 1-O-β-D-fucopyranoside, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5α-furost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,22α,26-tetrol 1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5α-furost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,22α,26-tetrol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-glucopyranoside, 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-5α-furost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,22α,26-tetrol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-fucopyranoside, and 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-22α-methoxy-5α-furost-(25)27-ene-1β,3β,26-triol 1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 2)-β-D-fucopyranoside. All the isolated compounds were further evaluated for their cytotoxicity against 4T1 cell line, from a mouse mammary gland tissue, using MTS method.

Taher R, Al-Karmalawy AA, El-Ebeedy D, Metwaly AG, Elkateeb NM, Ghanem A, Elghaish RA, Abd El Maksoud AI. Cordyline fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. leaves: isolation, HPLC/MS profiling and evaluation of nephroprotective and hepatoprotective activities supported by molecular docking

The metabolites profile of C. fruticosa (L.) A. Chev. leaves, 12 isolates, and its nephroprotective and hepatoprotective activities are described.

Antibacterial 5α-Spirostane Saponins from the Fruit of Cordyline manners-suttoniae

Antibacterial-activity-guided fractionation of a dichloromethane extract from the fruit of Cordyline manners-suttoniae and subsequent structure-activity investigations resulted in the identification of 10 new (1-10) and one known (11) 5α-spirostane saponin. The structures of the new compounds were established by 1D and 2D NMR analyses. The absolute configurations of the isolated compounds were determined by X-ray diffraction analysis or chemical derivatizations. The most active compound, suttonigenin F (6), inhibited the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus with MIC₇₅ values that were comparable to those of the antibiotic chloramphenicol. Structure-activity relationships were also obtained from the assessment of antibacterial and cytotoxic activities of the isolated saponins.

Steroidal glycosides from the underground parts of Yucca glauca and their cytotoxic activities

Six steroidal glycosides and 14 known compounds were isolated from the underground parts of Yucca glauca (Agavaceae). Their structures were determined from extensive spectroscopic analysis, including analysis of two-dimensional NMR data, and from chemical transformations. The compounds were also evaluated for cytotoxic activities against HL-60 human leukemia cells and A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells. Four spirostanol glycosides and three furostanol glycosides exhibited cytotoxic activities against both HL-60 and A549 cells. Two of the compounds induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells.

New polyhydroxylated furostanol saponins with inhibitory action against NO production from Tupistra chinensis rhizomes

Two furostanol saponins were obtained from the rhizomes of Tupistra chinensis Bak. Their structures were determined as 5beta-furost-delta(25(27))-en-1beta,2beta,3beta,4beta,5beta,7alpha,22xi,26-octaol-6-one-26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 5beta-furost-delta(25(27))-en-1beta,2beta,3beta,4beta,5beta,6beta,7alpha,22xi,26-nonaol-26-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Both compounds displayed marked inhibitory action against NO production in rat abdomen macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at 40 microg/mL.

Saponins, classification and occurrence in the plant kingdom

Saponins are a structurally diverse class of compounds occurring in many plant species, which are characterized by a skeleton derived of the 30-carbon precursor oxidosqualene to which glycosyl residues are attached. Traditionally, they are subdivided into triterpenoid and steroid glycosides, or into triterpenoid, spirostanol, and furostanol saponins. In this study, the structures of saponins are reviewed and classified based on their carbon skeletons, the formation of which follows the main pathways for the biosynthesis of triterpenes and steroids. In this way, 11 main classes of saponins were distinguished: dammaranes, tirucallanes, lupanes, hopanes, oleananes, taraxasteranes, ursanes, cycloartanes, lanostanes, cucurbitanes, and steroids. The dammaranes, lupanes, hopanes, oleananes, ursanes, and steroids are further divided into 16 subclasses, because their carbon skeletons are subjected to fragmentation, homologation, and degradation reactions. With this systematic classification, the relationship between the type of skeleton and the plant origin was investigated. Up to five main classes of skeletons could exist within one plant order, but the distribution of skeletons in the plant kingdom did not seem to be order- or subclass-specific. The oleanane skeleton was the most common skeleton and is present in most orders of the plant kingdom. For oleanane type saponins, the kind of substituents (e.g. -OH, =O, monosaccharide residues, etc.) and their position of attachment to the skeleton were reviewed. Carbohydrate chains of 18 monosaccharide residues can be attached to the oleanane skeleton, most commonly at the C3 and/or C17 atom. The kind and positions of the substituents did not seem to be plant order-specific.

Biological activities and distribution of plant saponins

Plant saponins are widely distributed amongst plants and have a wide range of biological properties. The more recent investigations and findings into their biological activities were summarized. Isolation studies of saponins were examined to determine which are the more commonly studied plant families and in which families saponins have been identified.