Anti-proliferative activities of terpenoids isolated from Alisma orientalis and their structure-activity relationships

Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2015;15(2):228-35. doi: 10.2174/1871520614666140601213514.

Abstract

This study aimed to isolate terpenoids from Alisma orientalis (Sam.) Juzep. and elucidate their antiproliferative activities, as well as structure-activity relationships. Fourteen protostane-type triterpenoids were isolated from the rhizome of A. orientalis. Among these triterpenoids, alisol A (1), alisol A 24-acetate (2), alisol B (3), alisol B 23-acetate (4), and alisol G (8) presented inhibitory effects on cancer cell lines tested. Compounds 3 and 4 showed the highest potential; IC50 values for HepG2, MDA-MB-231, and MCF-7 cells were 16.28, 14.47, and 6.66 μM for 3 and 18.01, 15.97, and 13.56 μM for 4, respectively. Based on these results, we concluded that the degree of C-16 oxidation and the double bond between C-13 and C-17 may be significant in anti-proliferative activities. Further study showed that 3 and 4 effectively induced apoptosis, as confirmed by flow cytometry. Increased intracellular calcium concentration and endoplasmic reticulum stress were detected after treatment with 4 in HepG2 cells. Although compounds 1 and 2 induced minimal apoptosis, they evidently delayed the G2/M phase in HepG2 cells. Further study showed that 1-4 also enhanced LC3II expression, indicating autophagy is occured.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alisma / chemistry*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects*
  • Cholestenones / chemistry
  • Cholestenones / pharmacology
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress / drug effects
  • G2 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / drug effects
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Terpenes / chemistry*
  • Terpenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Cholestenones
  • Plant Extracts
  • Terpenes
  • alisol A 24-acetate
  • alisol B 23-acetate
  • alisol B
  • alisol A
  • Calcium