Abstract

Ehab A. Ragab*, Mohammed Hosny, Hazem A. Kadry and Hassan A. Ammar

Two new bisdesmosidic triterpenoidal saponins acylated with one and two monoterpenoid units; aquaticoside A and B (1 and 2), two new cytokinins, aquaticine A and B (3 and 4), and one known cytokinin; adenosine (5), were isolated from the fruits of Gleditsia aquatica. Their structures were established by means of extensive 1D and 2D NMR studies and chemical degradation. Cytotoxicities (ED50) of various extracts and isolated pure saponins (1 and 2), were measured against various tumor cell lines. The isolated pure saponins (1 and 2), showed the most potent cytotoxicities with ovary adenocarcinoma (MDAH 2774, NIH: OVCAR-3), uterus mesodermal tumor (SK-UT-1), skin malignant melanoma (G-361) and colon colorectal adenocarcinoma (LS 174 T) cell lines.