Analysis of the bioactive components of Sapindus saponins

• Component g with high total saponin content was fractioned from the extraction of pericarp of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn.
• Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn., sesquiterpene glycosides show strong antimicrobial activity on dermatophytes, but not bacteria.
• The saponin mixture exerted a significant inhibitory effect on growth of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, in vitro.

The pericarp of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn was used as raw material to extract crude saponin for the preparation of graded samples (fraction a–fraction g). The peak area revealed high total saponin content in fraction g. Based on molecular weights and peak appearance times, we speculated that the main components of total saponins of S. mukorossi Gaertn. include Sapindoside B, Sapindoside A, Mukurozi-saponin E1, Sapindoside L, Mukurozi-saponin G and Sapindoside M.Analysis of the antibacterial and antineoplastic activities of different grade products showed that S. mukorossi Gaertn. and sesquiterpene glycosides display strong antimicrobial activity against dermatophytes, but not bacteria. The ethyl acetate extract displayed strong activity against both bacteria and dermatophytes, presenting blue fluorescence under UV light. In addition, the saponin mixture from S. mukorossi Gaertn. exerted a significant inhibitory effect on growth of the human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7, in vitro.