Anticancer activity of glycoalkaloids from Solanum plants: A review

Abstract

Cancer is still one of the main causes of death worldwide. For this reason, new compounds that have chemotherapeutic potential have been identified. One such group of substances is Solanaceae glycoalkaloids (GAs). They are natural compounds produced by plants widely used in traditional medicine for healing many disorders. Among others, GAs exhibit significant antitumor properties, for example, a strong inhibitory effect on cancer cell growth. This activity can result in the induction of tumor cell apoptosis, which can occur via different molecular pathways. The molecular mechanisms of the action of GAs are the subject of intensive research, as improved understanding could lead to the development of new cancer therapies. The genetic basis for the formation of neoplasms are mutations in protooncogenes, suppressors, and apoptosis-controlling and repair genes; therefore, substances with antineoplastic properties may affect the levels of their expression or the levels of their expression products. Therapeutic compounds can be applied separately or in combination with other drugs to increase the efficiency of cancer therapy; they can act on the cell through various mechanisms at different stages of carcinogenesis, inducing the process of apoptosis, blocking cell proliferation and migration, and inhibiting angiogenesis. This review summarizes the newest studies on the anticancer properties of solanine (SN), chaconine (CH), solasonine (SS), solamargine (SM), tomatine (TT) and their extracts from Solanum plants.

Perspective Chapter: Integrated Network Pharmacology and Multiomics Approach to Elucidate the Repositioning of Fatal Food Toxins to Lifesaving Anticancer Drug

“…The distribution of glycoalkaloids across plant species is influenced by genetic factors, environmental conditions, plant development stages, and postharvest practices [15]. The most common GA found in food plants are α-solanine and α-chaconine in potato, α-tomatine in tomato, and solamargine and α-solanine in eggplants [13,16].…”

“…The aglycone is derived from cholesterol and can be solasodine, solanidine, or tomatidine depending on the plant source. The oligosaccharide can vary in length and composition but usually contains glucose, galactose, rhamnose, or xylose units [15]. The glycoalkaloids are named according to their aglycone and oligosaccharide structure (Figure 1).…”

Targeting Cancers: Uncovering the Potential Roles of Potato Tissue Culture as Anti-Cancer Agents — A Secondary Publication

“…However, a recent investigation revealed that potato glycoalkaloids had little apoptotic activity and a cytotoxic impact comparable to other cancer medications. Moreover, studies have documented the anti-cancer properties of additional substances such as potato lectin and potato protease inhibitors 1 and 2 [85] .…”

Tomato: Breeding and Genomics

“…For the present study, researchers reviewed studies that looked at the anticancer properties of solanine, chaconine, solasonine, solamargine, and tomatine, which are found in the nightshade family including tomatoes and potatoes (Winkiel et al, 2022). Therefore these important substances, important in human nutrition must be clearly identified and should be intend to breed cultivars with improved nutritional/ therapeutic attributes through conventional and molecular breeding approaches…”