AUTHOR=Zhang Nan , Wei Shuxiang , Cao Shijie , Zhang Qiang , Kang Ning , Ding Liqin , Qiu Feng 

TITLE=Bioactive Triterpenoid Saponins From the Seeds of Aesculus chinensis Bge. var. chekiangensis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2019.00908

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2019.00908

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>Phytochemical investigation of <italic>Aesculus chinensis</italic> Bge. var. <italic>chekiangensis</italic> (Hu et Fang) Fang obtained 33 triterpenoid saponins, including 14 new ones, aesculiside C–P (<bold>1</bold>–<bold>14</bold>). The structure elucidations were performed through comprehensive MS, 1D and 2D-NMR analysis, and their absolute configuration was unambiguously determined by X-ray diffraction analysis as well as Mo<sub>2</sub>(OAc)<sub>4</sub>-induced ECD method for the first time. All the substances were examined for their cytotoxic activities against three tumor cell lines, Hep G2, HCT-116, and MGC-803. Of these, compounds <bold>8</bold>, <bold>9</bold>, <bold>14–16</bold>, <bold>18</bold>, and <bold>22</bold> exhibited potent cytotoxicities against all cell lines with IC<sub>50</sub> of 2–21 μM, while compounds <bold>3</bold>, <bold>6</bold>, <bold>7</bold>, <bold>17–19</bold>, <bold>20</bold>, <bold>24</bold>, and <bold>28</bold> depicted moderate activity (IC<sub>50</sub> 13 to &gt;40 μM). On these bases, the preliminary structure-activity correlations were also discussed. Meanwhile the neuroprotective properties of triterpenoid saponins from <italic>Aesculus</italic> genus were evaluated for the first time. Among them, compounds <bold>1</bold>, <bold>4</bold>, <bold>12</bold>, <bold>20</bold>, <bold>22</bold>, <bold>25</bold>, <bold>29</bold>, and <bold>31</bold> exhibited moderate activities against C<sub>O</sub>Cl<sub>2</sub>-induced PC12 cell injury.</p>