Cytotoxic resin glycosides from Ipomoea aquatica and their effects on intracellular Ca2+ concentrations

Eleven new resin glycosides, aquaterins I-XI (1-11), were isolated from the whole plants of Ipomoea aquatica. The structures of 1-11 were elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic and chemical methods. They were found to be partially acylated tetra- or pentasaccharides derived from simonic acid B and operculinic acids A and C. The site of the aglycone macrolactonization was placed at C-2 or C-3 of the second saccharide moiety, while the two acylating residues could be located at C-2 (or C-3) of the second rhamnose unit and at C-4 (or C-3) on the third rhamnose moiety. All compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against a small panel of human cancer cell lines. Compound 4 exhibited the most potent activity against HepG2 cells with an IC50 value of 2.4 μM. Cell cycle analysis revealed 4 to inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells via G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis induction. In addition, compounds 1-4, 7, 9, and 10 were found to elevate Ca(2+) in HepG2 cells, which might be involved in the regulation of the cytotoxic activities observed.