Preliminary investigation of the disposition of the molluscicidal saponin deltonin from Balanites aegyptiaca in a snail species (Biomphalaria glabrata) and in mice

Abstract

A mixture of deltonin and 25-isodeltonin (approx. 1 : 1) was found to be the molluscicidal principle in seeds of Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Del. The disposition in the schistosomiasis vector Biomphalaria glabrata and in mice was studied. Snails were exposed to 3 H-labelled saponin in water. Administration to mice was oral (O) and intravenous (IV). Snails absorbed the compounds rapidly and showed a high degree of bioaccumulation. The highest concentration was found in the foot followed by the intestines. Snails could excrete the compounds from all organs investigated. Saponin given orally to mice was partly hydrolysed in the intestine, a fraction of genuine and hydrolysed compound being absorbed. Genuine saponin given IV was rapidly distributed to the liver, kidney (medulla), lung and spleen. Compounds did not pass the placenta nor enter the CNS. Excretion was mainly biliary, a minor fraction being excreted in the urine all as genuine compound. About 80% was excreted within 72 hr. While only two (more lipophilic) metabolites were formed in significant amounts by the mice, three such metabolites were seen in extracts of snails. The final toxic agent and the mode of action to target snails remains to be further investigated.

Laboratory assessment of the molluscicidal and cercariacidal activities of Balanites aegyptiaca

“…The varying potencies of each plant part may be due to the differences in concentration and/or the type of the active ingredient(s) present in each part [22] . In this observation, water extracts of seeds and mesocarps were more potent than the water extract of endocarps, perhaps due to the more concentrations of saponins in the mesocarps and seeds, and also presence of high amount of deltonin in the seeds.…”

PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACEUTICAL EVALUATION OF Balanites aegyptiaca: AN OVERVIEW

“…These glucosides are responsible for the antidiabtic and antimicrobial properties of the tree extract (Varshncy & Vyas (1982); Saeed et al, 1995;Kapseu et al, 1997;Ansari et al 2006;Breimer et al, 2007).…”

“…In addition to the above phytochemicals, presence of 1-10-methyln-heptacosane (Ansari et al, 2006), balanitol (Cordano et al, 1978), bergapten (Seida et al, 1981;Breimer et al, 2007), cryptogenin, deltoin (Speroni et al, 2005), furanocoumarin (Khare 2007) and marmesin (Ansari et al 2006;Breimer et al, 2007) has been reported from the bark of B. aegyptiaca. Presence of Protodeltoin (Speroni et al, 2005) and 6-phenyl-2(H)-1,2,4-triazin-5-one oxime (Kusch et al, 2011) has been reported from the seed of B. aegyptiaca.…”

“…Presence of Protodeltoin (Speroni et al, 2005) and 6-phenyl-2(H)-1,2,4-triazin-5-one oxime (Kusch et al, 2011) has been reported from the seed of B. aegyptiaca. These chemicals also have antioxidants, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory and antidiabtic properties (Speroni et al, 2005;Ansari et al 2006;Breimer et al, 2007;Kusch et al, 2011). Psoriasis treatment capability of bergapten has been reported by Ansari et al (2006) and Breimer et al (2007).…”

Foaming Glycosides: A Review

“…Saponins are traditionally extracted into water/ethanol mixtures, after which the ethanol is removed by evaporation and the saponins extracted from the water phase into 1-butanol (27,28). During the last decade there have been considerable efforts to improve this methodology, mainly on the extraction of ginseng saponins and glycyrrhizic acid, and also escin from horse chestnut.…”