Current perspectives on naturally occurring saponins as anticancer agents

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Oncology

Background:

• Saponins are diverse sterol and triterpene glycosides found widely in nature.
• They exhibit potential antiproliferative effects against various cancer cell types.
• Saponins can target multiple pathways within cancer cells, including drug-resistant forms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent developments in naturally occurring steroidal and triterpenoidal saponins with anticancer potential.
• To identify novel anticancer lead compounds derived from natural sources.
• To provide an overview of research published between January 2020 and October 2021.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of scientific articles.
• Focus on naturally occurring steroidal and triterpenoidal saponins.
• Analysis of studies reporting anticancer activity and mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Identified numerous naturally occurring saponins with significant anticancer potential.
• Highlighted specific steroidal and triterpenoidal saponins as promising candidates for drug development.
• Demonstrated the broad applicability of saponins against various cancer types, including resistant ones.

Conclusions:

• Naturally occurring saponins serve as valuable templates for novel anticancer drug discovery.
• Further research into these compounds could lead to effective new cancer therapies.
• Steroidal and triterpenoidal saponins represent a rich source of potential anticancer lead hits.