Diosgenin is an important raw material in steroid hormone and widely used in pharmaceutical industry. The traditional method for diosgenin production is acidolysis, which causes serious pollution. In order to obtain a cleaner and more efficient approach of diosgenin production, a strain of Gibberella intermedia WX12 (the sexual stage of Fusarium proliferatum) was screened from the strains deposited in our laboratory. This strain converted saponins in Dioscorea zingiberensis C.H. Wright (DZW) into diosgenin. The conversion medium was optimized by statistical experimental design. The optimized conversion medium was as follows (g/L): glucose 20.6, yeast extract 5.0, NaCl 1, K2PO4 3, ZnSO4 x 7H2O 1.5 and saponins 3. Under the optimal conditions, the yield of diosgenin achieved to (31 +/- 0.3) mg/g DZW, which was 3 times higher than that of the original medium.
Biotransformation ; Culture Media ; Dioscorea ; chemistry ; Diosgenin ; metabolism ; Gibberella ; growth & development ; metabolism ; Saponins ; metabolism

Polygonatum cyrtonema belongs to the plant family Liliaceae, and its dried rhizome is one of the sources of Chinese traditional medicine of Polygonati Rhizoma. It possesses the dual function as both medicine and food. Its main chemical components are polysaccharides and saponins. In order to understand the biosynthesis pathway of polysaccharides and diosgenin in P. cyrtonema, the corresponding transcriptomic data were obtained by extracting and sequencing the RNA of four parts of P. cyrtonema, namely, leaves, stems, rhizomes and roots. By adopting BGISEQ-500 sequencing platform, 42.03 Gb data were retrieved. Subsequently, the de novo assembly was carried out by Trinity software to obtain 137 233 transcripts, of which 68.13% of unigenes were annotated in seven databases including KEGG, GO, NR, NT, SwissProt, Pfam and KOG. Transcripts that may be involved in the biosynthesis of polysaccharides and diosgenin were analyzed by data mining. With help of qPCR, we validated expression data of four genes that were possibly involved in the biosynthesis of target metabolites. This experiment provides data for the study of biosynthetic pathways of P. cyrtonema secondary metabolites and the clarification of related structural gene functions.
Biosynthetic Pathways ; Diosgenin/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Phytochemicals/biosynthesis* ; Polygonatum/metabolism* ; Polysaccharides/biosynthesis* ; Transcriptome

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to observe the effects of dioscin on apoptosis and on expression of PRDX1 in pancreatic cancer MiaPaCa-2 cells in vitro.

METHODSMTT assay was used to detect the growth rate among the medication groups treated with different concentrations of dioscin. The apoptosis rate was determined by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining and flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to assay the expression of PRDX1 and apoptotic proteins in the cells. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was measured by 2'7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA).

RESULTSDioscin considerably inhibited the proliferation of MiaPaCa-2 cells in vitro. The inhibitory action was enhanced in a dose-dependent manner. The levels of intracellular ROS detected with DCFH-DA were highly increased after dioscin treatment. The flow cytometry analysis using annexin V-PI staining showed that compared with the apoptotic rate of control group [(3.5 ± 0.7)%], 2.5 µmol/L and 5 µmol/L dioscin induced apoptosis in (28.4 ± 0.9)% and (49.6 ± 2.7)% MiaPaCa-2 cells, and Western blot analysis showed that apoptotic proteins Bax and cleaved caspase-3 expressions were increased and antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 expression was decreased. In addition, these effects could be blocked by antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) administration, and the apoptotic rates decreased to (10.8 ± 2.3)% and (18.8 ± 3.0)%, respectively. We further observed the decrease of PRDX1 expression after dioscin treatment. Moreover, after PRDX1 overexpression, dioscin treatment no longer induced high levels of ROS and apoptosis, and the apoptotic rate was decreased to (21.3 ± 5.9)%.

CONCLUSIONDioscin can down-regulate the PRDX1 expression, and then induces ROS-mediated apoptosis in cancer cells.

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Diosgenin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Peroxiredoxins ; drug effects ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; metabolism

Diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin, obtained from Trigonella foenum-graecum, Dioscorea, and Rhizoma polgonati, has shown high potential and interest in the treatment of various cancers such as oral squamous cell carcinoma, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, prostate cancer, glioma, and leukemia. This article aims to provide an overview of the in vivo, in vitro, and clinical studies reporting the diosgenin's anticancer effects. Preclinical studies have shown promising effects of diosgenin on inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and growth, promoting apoptosis, inducing differentiation and autophagy, inhibiting tumor cell metastasis and invasion, blocking cell cycle, regulating immunity and improving gut microbiome. Clinical investigations have revealed clinical dosage and safety property of diosgenin. Furthermore, in order to improve the biological activity and bioavailability of diosgenin, this review focuses on the development of diosgenin nano drug carriers, combined drugs and the diosgenin derivatives. However, further designed trials are needed to unravel the diosgenin's deficiencies in clinical application.
Male ; Humans ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy* ; Diosgenin/metabolism* ; Mouth Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Apoptosis ; Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVETo study the effect and mechanism of methyl protodioscin (MPD), an active ingredients of yamogenin, in protecting cardiomyocytes (CMC) against anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury.

METHODSCultured CMCs of neonatal SD rats were randomly divided into three groups, cells in Group A were untreated normal cells, cells in Group B and C were made to injury CMC model by A/R, and only those in Group C were treated with MPD. Levels of ATPase activity and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in cell membrane of CMCs were determined. Besides, the mRNA expression of sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) in MPD treated CMCs was detected.

RESULTSAs compared with Group B, the degree of CMC injury was significantly milder and the activities of Na+ -K+ -ATPase and Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase were higher in Group C after cells were treated with MPD in concentration of 10 microg/mL and 50 microg/mL. The mRNA expression of NCX in CMCs was down-regulated after MPD treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMPD could maintain the low calcium internal environment in CMCs by way of protecting the membranous function of Na+ -pump and Ca2+ -pump, and influencing the Ca2+ transmembrane transportation in CMCs.

Animals ; Cell Hypoxia ; Cells, Cultured ; Diosgenin ; analogs & derivatives ; pharmacology ; Myocardial Reperfusion Injury ; metabolism ; Myocytes, Cardiac ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Oxygen ; adverse effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Saponins ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo explore the metabolic transformation and the absorbed metabolites of ophiopognin saponin D' (OD') given orally in rats.

METHODThe contents of both original OD' and its metabolites were detected by means of HPLC-ELSD and the metabolites of OD' in blood and urine were measured by use of TLC and HPLC-MS in vivo.

RESULTOD' could be metabolized by intestinal bacteria in rats. The content of diosgenin, one of the metabolites, increased gradually as the time passed.

CONCLUSIONOD' can be metabolized in intestine of rat and its metabolite, diosgenin, was absorbed in blood of rat.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Bacteria ; metabolism ; Biotransformation ; Diosgenin ; blood ; metabolism ; urine ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Male ; Ophiopogon ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saponins ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics

OBJECTIVETo study the plasma protein binding rate of methyl protodioscin.

METHODThe ultrafiltration was employed to determine the plasma protein binding rate of methyl protodioscin. The plasma concentrations of methyl protodioscin were measured by HPLC-MS-MS.

RESULTThe plasma protein binding rate of methyl protodioscin with rat plasma at the concentration of 20.0, 100 and 200 microg x mL(-1) were (94.6 +/- 0.16)%, (91.6 +/- 0.35)% and (86.10 +/- 0.60)%, respectively, while the plasma protein binding rate of methyl protodioscin with normal human plasma at the above concentrations were (82.11 +/- 5.12)%, (84.54 +/- 0.32)% and (88.52 +/- 1.02)%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe binding rate of methyl protodioscin with plasma protein is high.

Animals ; Antineoplastic Agents ; metabolism ; Blood Proteins ; metabolism ; Calibration ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Diosgenin ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Protein Binding ; Rats ; Saponins ; metabolism ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Ultrafiltration

Polyphyllin D is a steroid saponin monomer in Polyphyllin, with antibacterial, analgesic, sedative, anti-tumor and other pharmacological effects, but is rarely reported in pancreatic cancer. This study detected apoptosis-relevant indicators, in order to explore the effect of polyphyllin D on the proliferation and apoptosis of human pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells and relevant mechanisms of action. After pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells were treated with polyphyllin D(0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 μg·μL~(-1)) for 24, 48 and 72 hours, CCK-8 method was used to detect the effect of polyphyllin D on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP). The apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining, and Western blot was used to detect the protein expressions of cytochrome C(Cyto C), Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9. The results indicated that compared with the control group, polyphyllin D could inhibit the proliferative activity of Panc-1 cells in a time and concentration-dependent manner. Flow cytometry results showed that polyphyllin D could block the cells in S and G_2/M phase in a concentration manner, the MMP of the cells was significantly reduced, and the apoptosis rate increased with the concentration of polyphyllin D. Western blot results showed that polyphyllin D could concentration-dependently up-regulate the protein expression levels of Bax, Cyto C, cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9, and down-regulate the protein expression level of Bcl-2. The above findings suggested that polyphyllin D could effectively inhibit the proliferation of Panc-1 cells, and its mechanism may be related to the blocking of cell growth cycle and the apoptosis induced by mitochondrial pathway.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology* ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Caspase 9/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Diosgenin/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein/metabolism*

AIM: To investigate whether diosgenin could modulate tissue factor (TF) procoagulation activity, expression, and related signal transduction pathways. METHODS: Human THP-1 monocytic cells were exposed to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, 10 ng·mL(-1)) with or without diosgenin (0.01, 0.1, and 1 μmol · L(-1)) for 2 h or 5 h to induce TF procoagulant activity and expression, which were determined by the simplified chromogenic assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time quantitative PCR, and Western blotting assays. In addition, the activation of the NF-κB, Akt, and MAPK signaling pathways were also measured by Western blotting. RESULTS: Diosgenin significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced TF procoagulant activity at concentrations of 0.01 to 1 μmol · L(-1) with IC50 of 0.25 μmol · L(-1). It also reduced protein expression and mRNA accumulation of TF dose-dependently in activated THP-1 cells. TNF-α stimulated significantly phosphorylation on Ser536 of NF-κB/p65, Ser473 of Akt at 5-15 min, and activations of IKK-β and ERK at 15-30 min. Diosgenin (1 μmol · L(-1)) could inhibit the phosphorylation of NF-κB/p65, IKK-β, Akt, ERK, and JNK, but had no remarkable effects on IκB and p38 phosphorylation in THP-1 cells. CONCLUSION Diosgenin inhibits TNF-α-induced TF activity and expression in monocytes, partly due to its down-regulation of the phosphorylation of NF-κB/p65, IKK-β, Akt, ERK, and JNK.
Diosgenin ; pharmacology ; Down-Regulation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; drug effects ; Monocytes ; drug effects ; metabolism ; NF-kappa B ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; genetics ; metabolism ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the rat intestinal bacteria metabolism of total saponins of Dioscorea pathaica (TSDP) in vitro, and characterize the metabolites in serum and urine of rats after oral administration of TSDP 900 mg.kg-1.

METHODTSDP metabolites were detected with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and combination of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and sequential tandem mass spectrometry (MSn).

RESULTIn vitro, TSDP was decomposed easily by rat intestinal bacteria, and metabolites DP-1, DP-2, DP-4, DP-5 and diosgenin (Dio) were observed with prolongation of incubation time by ESI-MS2. In vivo, in the full-scan positive mass spectrum of the rat urine sample, the ion peak at m/z 415 (M-H) and its characteristic fragmentations at m/z 397 and m/z 271 in the MS/MS spectrum were identified with that of metabolite Dio, therefore metabolite Dio was deduced to exist in the rat urine, and metablite Dio was allso detected in the rat serum sample.

CONCLUSIONTSDP is decomposed easily by rat intestinal bacteria and metabolite diosgenin is absorbed into blood after oral administration of TSDP.

Animals ; Biotransformation ; Dioscorea ; chemistry ; Diosgenin ; metabolism ; Gram-Negative Anaerobic Bacteria ; metabolism ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Male ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Saponins ; isolation & purification ; pharmacokinetics ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization