Chemical constituents of triterpenoid saponins from Glycyrrhiza uralensis / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To study the chemical constituents from the roots and rhizomes of Glycyrrhiza uralensis. Methods: The compounds were separated and purified by solvent and chromatographic methods. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic techniques. Results: Fourteen triterpenoid saponins isolated from 50% ethanol extract of the roots and rhizomes of G. uralensis were identified as uralsaponin C (1), uralsaponin D (2), licorice-saponin A3 (3), uralsaponin F (4), 22β-acetoxyl-glycyrrizin (5), 24-hydroxyl-licorice-saponin E2 (6), licorice-saponin E2 (7), licorice-saponin G2 (8), 22β-acetoxyl-glyrrhaldehyde (9), 3β-O-[β-D-glucuronopyranosyl-(1→2) - β-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-glycyrretol (10), araboglycyrrhizin (11), licorice-saponin J2 (12), glycyrrhizin (13), and glycyrrhetic acid monoglucuronide (14). Compounds 1-14 showed the cytotoxic activity against the human cancer cell lines MGC-803, SW620, and SMMC-7721 with IC50 > 100 μmol/L. The aglycones of compounds 2, 6-8, and 13 displayed the inhibition on the growth of cancer cells with IC50 at 18.3-41.6 μmol/L. Conclusion: Compound 14 is a new natural product, and compound 11 is isolated from the plant for the first time; Compounds 1-14 show no cytotoxic activity against the human cancer cell lines MGC-803, SW620, and SMMC-7721, and the aglycones of compounds 2, 6-8, and 13 could significantly increase the cytotoxic activity after hydrolysis.