Saponins are natural glycosides which possess a wide range of pharmacological properties including cytotoxic activity. In this review, the recent studies (2005–2009) concerning the cytotoxic activity of saponins have been summarized. The correlations between the structure and the cytotoxicity of both steroid and triterpenoid saponins have been described as well as the most common mechanisms of action.

Ramson—Allium ursinum L. is a medicinal and dietary plant species with a long tradition of use. This mini-review summarizes the current knowledge on the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of this valuable plant, with special emphasis on antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antioxidant, and cardio-protective effects.

Steroidal saponins are widely distributed among monocots, including the Amaryllidaceae family to which the Allium genus is currently classified. Apart from sulfur compounds, these are important biologically active molecules that are considered to be responsible for the observed activity of Allium species, including antifungal, cytotoxic, enzyme-inhibitory, and other. In this paper, literature data concerning chemistry and biological activity of steroidal saponins from the Allium genus has been reviewed.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11101-014-9381-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

This review is focused on the comparison of the biological and pharmacological activities of usnic acid enantiomers. Most of the available data refer to (?)-usnic acid, while the left-handed isomer has been less often significantly studied. Special attention was paid to the experiments comparing both (?)-and (-)-usnic acid at the same time, the results of which indicated interesting differences, however no tendency as to which enantiomer was more potent could be observed. Nevertheless, more studies, especially on (-)-usnic acid, are needed to give a final explanation for the similarities and differences between both usnic acid enantiomers. These should be especially directed to steric structure-activity relationship of the enantiomers, tested under the same experimental conditions, which may help to explain the possible mechanisms of their actions.

Cannabis sativa L. turned out to be a valuable source of chemical compounds of various structures, showing pharmacological activity. The most important groups of compounds include phytocannabinoids and terpenes. The pharmacological activity of Cannabis (in epilepsy, sclerosis multiplex (SM), vomiting and nausea, pain, appetite loss, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, schizophrenia, glaucoma, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)), which has been proven so far, results from the affinity of these compounds predominantly for the receptors of the endocannabinoid system (the cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1), type two (CB2), and the G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55)) but, also, for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), glycine receptors, serotonin receptors (5-HT), transient receptor potential channels (TRP), and GPR, opioid receptors. The synergism of action of phytochemicals present in Cannabis sp. raw material is also expressed in their increased bioavailability and penetration through the blood–brain barrier. This review provides an overview of phytochemistry and pharmacology of compounds present in Cannabis extracts in the context of the current knowledge about their synergistic actions and the implications of clinical use in the treatment of selected diseases.

Triterpene saponins (saponosides) are found in a variety of higher plants and display a wide range of pharmacological activities, including expectorant, anti-inflamatory, vasoprotective, gastroprotective and antimicrobial properties. Recently, a potential anticancer activity of saponins has been suggested by their cytotoxic, cytostatic, pro-apoptotic and anti-invasive effects. At high concentrations (more than 100 µM) saponins exert cytotoxic and haemolytic effects via permeabilization of the cell membranes. Noteworthy, the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, the induction of apoptosis and attenuation of cell invasiveness is observed in the presence of low saponin concentrations. Saponins might affect the expression of genes associated with malignancy. These alterations are directly related to the invasive phenotype of cancer cells and depend on "cellular context". It illustrates the relationships between the action of saponins, and the momentary genomic/proteomic status of cancer cells. Here, we discuss the hallmarks of anti-cancer activity of saponins with the particular emphasis on anti-invasive effect of diverse groups of saponins that have been investigated in relation to tumor therapy.

No abstract

Sorbus L. sensu lato (Rosaceae family) comprises over 250 trees and shrubs growing in the Northern Hemisphere. Several Sorbus species have found their way into traditonal materia medica, as different leaf, bark or fruit preparations have a longstanding folk use. Ethnomedicine recommends their use not only in respiratory and gastrointestinal system disorders, but also in rheumatism, cancer or diabetes. Chemical composition of the genus Sorbus has been studied since 1960s and until now more than 250 compounds have been identified from thirty-eight species. The most thoroughly investigated substances are phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids). Other constituents include triterpenes, sterols, carboxylic acids, coumarins and cyanogenic glycosides. Biological activity studies performed on the representatives of the genus Sorbus have been predominantly conducted on extracts prepared with the use of different solvents, and more rarely on isolated constituents. The majority of these studies were devoted to determination of antioxidant potential of Sorbus extracts. In a few cases targeted studies were conducted to confirm specific folk usage. Two of the fairly well documented medicinal uses are the antidiabetic activity of Sorbus decora and antiinflammatory activity of Sorbus commixta. Keywords Sorbus Á Folk medicine Á Phytochemistry Á Biological activity Abbreviations AAPH 2,2 0 -Azobis-(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride ABTS 2,2 0 -Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothioazoline-6sulphonic acid) diammonium salt ACE Angiotensin converting enzyme AChE Acetylcholinesterase ADH Alcohol dehydrogenase ALT Alanine aminotransferase AMPK Adenosine-monophosphate-activated protein kinase AST Aspartate transaminase ATO Arsenic trioxide BChE Butyrylcholinesterase CAT Catalase CD Conjugated dienes cGMP Guanosine 3 0 ,5 0 -cyclic monophosphate COX-2 Cyclooxygenase-2 CYP Cytochrome P450 DMPD ? N,N-Dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine DPPH 2,2 0 -Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl dw Dry weight ecNOS Endothelial cell NO synthase EDTA Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid