Cytotoxic activity of cycloartane triterpenoids from Sphaerophysa salsula

The cytotoxicity of three cycloartane triterpenoids, 9,19-cycloart-7beta, 24R, 25- triol-1-en-3-one (1), 9,19-cycloart-7beta, 24R, 25-triol-1-en-3-one 25-O-beta-D-glucopynanoside (2), and 25-O-beta-D-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->4)- beta-D-glucopyranosyl-9,19-cycloart-7beta, 24R, 25-triol-1-en-3-one (3), isolated from Sphaerophysa salsula was investigated on SF188, U87wt, MCF-7, and H460 cancer cell lines. Compound 1 showed the strongest activity. Cell cycle analysis was employed to elucidate the cytotoxicity on the tested U87wt cells, which led to G2/M arrest. In addition, from the Western blotting experiments, the expression of P21 is increased.