Planta Med 2009; 75(13): 1421-1422
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1185706
Pharmacology
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

A Simple Method for Isolation of Gypsophila Saponins for the Combined Application of Targeted Toxins and Saponins in Tumor Therapy

Alexander Weng1 , Diana Bachran2 , Cornelia Görick1 , Christopher Bachran2 , Hendrik Fuchs2 , Matthias F. Melzig1
  • 1Institute of Pharmacy, Free University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
  • 2Zentralinstitut für Laboratoriumsmedizin und Pathobiochemie, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received November 6, 2008 revised February 26, 2009

accepted April 4, 2009

Publication Date:
18 May 2009 (online)

Abstract

Saponinum album (SAP) is a complex mixture of triterpene saponins from Gypsophila paniculata L. Although most of the saponins from SAP are characterized, the separation of pure saponins remains time consuming and costly, involving different chromatographic techniques. Recently it was shown that SAP drastically enhanced the cytotoxicity of a chimeric toxin consisting of the N-glycosidase saporin and human epidermal growth factor (Sap-EGF) in cell culture experiments. In view of a potential therapeutic use of the coadministration of SAP and Sap-EGF in tumor therapy, an economic and time-saving method for the isolation of pure saponins from the crude SAP mixture in high amounts is required. In this study we isolated a single saponin by a simple chromatographic method. The isolated saponin was characterized by mass spectrometry and was shown to enhance the cytotoxicity of Sap-EGF on HER14 cells.

References

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Univ.-Prof. Dr. M. F. Melzig

Institute of Pharmacy
Free University Berlin

14195 Berlin

Germany

Phone: + 49 30 83 85 14 51

Fax: + 49 30 83 85 14 61

Email: melzig@zedat.fu-berlin.de

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