In vitro cytotoxicity of some Narcissus plants extracts.

This study compares the chloroform extracts of bulbs and roots of Narcissus papyraceus Ker Gawl. and Narcissus tazetta L. The cytotoxicity of the plant extracts was evaluated against human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HEPG2) and colon carcinoma cell line (HCT116) in comparison to doxorubicin. The extracts from the after-flowering (AF) bulbs of N. tazetta L. and N. papyraceus exhibited strong cytotoxic activity against HEPG2 (IC50: 2.2, 3.5 µg mL(-1)) and HCT116 (IC50: 4.2, 3.9 µg mL(-1)) cell lines, respectively. N. tazetta L. bulbs exhibited the least cell viability percentage in HepG-2 cell line (5.32%), while the AF root extracts of N. papyraceus exhibited the least cell viability percentage in HCT116 cell line (4.93%), when applied at a concentration of 50 µg mL(-1), thereby being more active than doxorubicin at the same concentration.

Chemical constituents from Astragalus annularis Forssk. and A. trimestris L., Fabaceae / Constituintes químicos de Astragalus annularis Forssk. and A. trimestris L., Fabaceae

The phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Astragalus annularis Forssk. and A. trimestris L., Fabaceae, growing in Egypt, resulted in the isolation of eight compounds, for the first time from these two species. These compounds were identified by chemical methods, NMR spectroscopy, UV spectroscopy as well as MS analysis. The antimicrobial activity of the isolated compounds were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli and Candida albicans.

A investigação química das partes aéreas de Astragalus annularis Forssk. e A. trimestris L., Fabaceae, do Egito, resultou no isolamento de oito compostos, pela primeira vez nestas duas espécies. Estes compostos foram identificados por métodos químicos, espectroscopia de RMN, espectroscopia UV, bem como análise de EM. A atividade antimicrobiana dos compostos isolados foi testada contra Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli e Candida albicans.

Kahiricosides II-V, cycloartane glycosides from an Egyptian collection of Astragalus kahiricus.

Four cycloartane-type saponins, kahiricosides II-V (1-4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Astragalus kahiricus of Egyptian origin. Their structures were established as 9beta,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3beta,6alpha,16beta,27-tetraol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 9beta,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3beta,6alpha,16beta,27-tetraol-3-O-(2'-O-acetyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, 9beta,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3beta,6alpha,16beta,27-tetraol-3-O-(6'-O-acetyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside, and 9beta,19-cyclolanost-24E-ene-3beta,6alpha,16beta,27-tetraol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-27-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside based on chemical and spectral evidences. All compounds exhibited very weak cytotoxicity against the A2780 ovarian cancer cell line.

Cycloartane and oleanane saponins from egyptian astragalus spp. as modulators of lymphocyte proliferation.

From the roots of Astragalus kahiricus DC., three known saponins, namely, astraversianin VI, astraversianin X, astragaloside VIII, and a new saponin were isolated and identified by spectral data. The structure of the latter was elucidated by spectral means and assigned as cycloastragenol 3- O-[ beta- D-(2',3'-diacetyl, 4'- trans-2-butenoyl)-xylopyranosyl], 6- O- beta- D-xylopyranoside (kahiricoside I). From the aerial parts of A. hamosus L., the known compounds azukisaponin V and peregrinoside I were isolated. As judged by in vitro tests, the saponins isolated from Astragalus spp. endemic to Egypt were not cytotoxic against a variety of human cancer cells. However, dose-related modulation of lymphocyte proliferation was observed, and structure-activity relationships are described.