ABSTRACT
Phytochemical investigations of the roots of Spergularia marginata had led to the isolation of four previously undescribed triterpenoid saponins, a known one and one spinasterol glycoside. Their structures were established by extensive NMR and mass spectroscopic techniques as 3-O-ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl echinocystic acid 28-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 â 2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 â 3)-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 â 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 â 2)-α-L- arabinopyranosyl ester, 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 â 3)-ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl echinocystic acid 28-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 â 2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 â 3)-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 â 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 â 2)- α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester, 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 â 4)-3-O-sulfate-ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl echinocystic acid 28-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1 â 2)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 â 3)-ß-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 â 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 â 2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl ester, and 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 â 4)-ß-D-glucuronopyranosyl 21-O-acetyl acacic acid. Their cytotoxicity was evaluated against two human cancer cell lines SW480 and MCF-7. The most active compound showed a cytotoxicity with IC50 14.2 ± 0.8 µM (SW480), and 18.7 ± 0.8 µM (MCF-7), respectively.
