Planta Med 1994; 60(1): 45-49
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-959406
Paper

© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Effects of α-Hederin, a Saponin Extracted from Hedera helix, on Cells Cultured in vitro

S. Danloy1 , J. Quetin-Leclercq2 , P. Coucke1 , M.-Cl. De Pauw-Gillet1 , R. Elias3 , G. Balansard3 , L. Angenot2 , R. Bassleer2
  • 1Laboratoire d'Histologie et de Cytologie, Université de Liège, rue de Pitteurs, 20, B-4020 Liège, Belgium
  • 2Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Institut de Pharmacie, Université de Liège, rue Fusch, 5, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
  • 3Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université d'Aix-Marseille, 27, Boulevard Jean-Moulin, F-13385 Marseille Cedex 5, France
Further Information

Publication History

1993

1993

Publication Date:
04 January 2007 (online)

Abstract

In this work, we have analysed the effects of α-hederin, a monodesmosidic triterpenoid saponin isolated from Hedera helix, on mouse B16 melanoma cells and non-cancer mouse 3T3 fibroblasts cultured in vitro. Our results indicate that, in a serum-free medium, α-hederin is cytotoxic and inhibits proliferation in both cell lines at rather low concentrations (< 5 µg/ml) after only 8 hours of treatment. Its cytotoxicity decreases in the presence of serum in which BSA seems to be able to bind the saponin. α-Hederin also induces vacuolization of the cytoplasm and membrane alterations leading to cell death.