Five New Triterpene Glycosides from Lysimachia foenum-graecum and Evaluation of their Effect on the Arachidonic Acid Metabolizing Enzyme

Abstract

Five new oleanane-type triterpene saponins, named foenumosides A (1), B (2), C (3), D (4) and E (5), were isolated from the aerial parts of Lysimachia foenum-graecum Hance. Their structures were identified on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques, including H-H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, HMQC-TOCSY, ROESY experiments as well as chemical methods. We have evaluated the cytotoxity of 1 - 5 against rat and human polymorphonuclear leukocytes and the effect of 5 on the arachidonic acid metabolizing enzyme. All compounds showed a high degree of toxicity except for compound 5, while 5 notably reduced the production of leukotriene B₄ (LTB₄) from rat peritoneal leukocytes with an IC₅₀ value of 74 μM without inhibiting human elastase. Compound 5 also reduced the production of 12-HHTrE and 12-HETE by 14 % and 50 % as a measurement for cyclooxygenase-1 and 12-lipoxygenase inhibition at 100 μM.

Key words

Lysimachia foenum-graecum - saponin - triterpene glycosides - arachidonic acid

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