Cytotoxic triterpenoid saponins from Thalictrum atriplex

Two new cycloartane glycosides, cycloatriosides A and B (1-2), and a new oleanolic acid glycoside, thaliatrioside A (3), along with 7 known triterpenoids (4-10) were isolated from Thalictrum atriplex. The structures of the new compounds were established as 3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (20S, 24 R)-3β,16β,25,29-tetrahydroxy-20,24-epoxycycloartane-29-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-arabinopyranosyl-3β,22ξ,30-trihydroxycycloart-24-en-21-oic acid α-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (2) and 3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl]-oleanolic acid 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (3) on the basis of extensive NMR and HR-ESI-MS analyses, along with acid hydrolysis. Their cytotoxic activities against human lung cancer cells A549 and human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 were evaluated using MTT method. Compound 9 showed cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cell line with the IC₅₀ value of 72.53 ± 1.08 μM.