Oleanane glycosides from the roots of Alhagi maurorum

Three new oleanane-type triterpene glycosides (1-3), along with four known compounds (4-7) glycosides, were isolated from the roots of Alhagi maurorum. Their structures were elucidated by 1D and 2D-NMR experiments as well as ESI-MS analysis. The antiproliferative activity of the isolated compounds was evaluated against a small panel of cancer cell lines including human breast cancer (MCF-7), human lung adenocarcinoma (A549), human prostate cancer (PC-3) and human leukemia (U937) cell lines. None of the tested compounds, in a range of concentrations between 1 and 50 μM, caused a significant reduction of the cell number.

Graphical abstractDownload full-size imageHighlights► Three oleanane glycosides never reported before were isolated from the roots of Alhagi maurorum. ► Most of saponins isolated from A. maurorum show as sugar chain β-fabatriose, typical of Leguminosae. ► All the compounds were tested for their antiproliferative activity.