Saponins of Selected Triterpenoids as Potential Therapeutic Agents: A Review

Abstract

Saponins represent important natural derivatives of plant triterpenoids that are secondary plant metabolites. Saponins, also named glycoconjugates, are available both as natural and synthetic products. This review is focused on saponins of the oleanane, ursane, and lupane types of triterpenoids that include several plant triterpenoids displaying various important pharmacological effects. Additional convenient structural modifications of naturally-occurring plant products often result in enhancing the pharmacological effects of the parent natural structures. This is an important objective for all semisynthetic modifications of the reviewed plant products, and it is included in this review paper as well. The period covered by this review (2019–2022) is relatively short, mainly due to the existence of previously published review papers in recent years.

Exploring the Bioactive Potential of Pisolithus (Basidiomycota): Comprehensive Insights into Antimicrobial, Anticancer, and Antioxidant Properties for Innovative Applications

“…Phenolics exhibit a range of bioactivities, including antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant effects [ 93 ]. Pisolactone and 7,22-dien-3-ol, 24-methyl lanostane are two triterpenoids, and this class of organic compounds has been described as potential antimicrobial and anticancer drugs [ 94 , 95 ]. Pisosterol is a triterpene.…”

Foegraecumoside O and P, a Pair of Triterpenoid Saponins with a 4/5/6 Fused Tricyclic Oleanane Carbon Skeleton from Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance

“…Among them, the oleanane-type skeleton is a classical pentacyclic skeleton and commonly exists in many families, such as Araliaceae [ 24 ], Fabaceae [ 25 ], Campanulaceae [ 26 ], Polygalaceae [ 27 ], etc. In the previous phytochemical investigation of the Primulaceae family, it was found that oleanane-type skeletons, especially 13,28-epoxyoleanane skeletons, were the general feature of the main components of this family [ 28 ]. As a genus from the Primulaceae family, many oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins, more than half of which having beard 13,28-epoxyoleanane skeletons, have been isolated from the Lysimachia genus [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ].…”

Sakurasosaponin inhibits lung cancer cell proliferation by inducing autophagy via AMPK activation

“…One such compound is saponin, a bioactive component found in various plants ( 28 ). Saponin possesses multiple pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, antioxidant and anticancer effects ( 29 , 30 ). The anticancer potential of saponins have been demonstrated in various types of cancers, including breast, gastric and colorectal cancers ( 31 ).…”