Steamed ginseng-leaf components enhance cytotoxic effects on human leukemia HL-60 cells

Abstract

Three new dammarane-type glycosides, named ginsenosides SL 1-SL3 (1-3), and eleven known compounds (4-14) were isolated from the heat-processed leaves of Panax ginseng. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive chemical and spectroscopic methods. Cytotoxic-activity testing of compounds 1-14 against human leukemia HL-60 cells showed that ginsenosides Rh3 (11) and Rk2 (12) exhibited potent effects with IC50 values of 0.8 and 0.9 μM. In addition, ginsenosides SL3 (3), 20S-Rg2 (7), F4 (10), 20S-Rh2 (13) displayed strong activity with IC50 values of 9.0, 9.0, 7.5, and 8.2 μM, respectively. This is the first report on chemical components of the steamed ginseng leaves. © 2010 Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.