Advances in chemical and biological characterization of triterpenoid saponins from Anagallis arvensis L. using UHPLC-MS/MS and cell-based assays.

A fraction enriched in triterpenoid saponins (F4) from Anagallis arvensis L. was chemically characterized by UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and NMR analyses. The results proposed the presence of nine monodesmosidic saponins derived from oleanolic acid, including two reported for the first time for this species, 3: 3-O-{ß-D-glucopyranosyl (1→4)-[ß-D-xylopyranosyl (1→2)]-ß-D-glucopyranosyl (1→4)-[ß-D-glucopyranosyl (1→2)]-α-L-arabinopyranosyl}-13ß, 28-epoxy- 22 acetyl- 28 methoxy-16α, 24-oleananediol and 4: 3-O-{ß-D-glucopyranosyl (1→4)-ß-D-glucopyranosyl (1→4)-[ß-D-xylopyranosyl (1→2)]-ß-D-glucopyranosyl (1→4)-[ß-D-glucopyranosyl (1→2)]-α-L-arabinopyranosyl}-13ß, 28-epoxy- 16α, 30-oleananediol. Furthermore, haemolytic activity was determined by dot-blot autography, and cytotoxicity on human lymphocyte cultures was analysed according to metabolic activity (MTT assay) and membrane integrity (Trypan blue exclusion test). F4 showed mild cytotoxicity (%V > 50% at 100 µg/mL) on human lymphocytes under conditions of activation or not by LPS; moreover, showed haemolytic activity between 50 and 500 µg. This work contributed to phytochemical knowledge of the triterpenoid saponins from A. arvensis, and its cytotoxic effects on normal human cells.