Abstract

The present work reports on the biological activity of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) saponins on white poplar (Populus alba, cultivar 'Villafranca') cell suspension cultures. The extracts from alfalfa roots, aerial parts and seeds were characterized for their saponin content by means of thin layer chromatography (TLC) and electrospray ionisation coupled to mass spectrometry. The quantitative saponin composition from the different plant extracts was determined considering the aglycone moieties and determined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses. Only soyasapogenin I was detected in the seed extract while several other saponins were found in the root and leaf extracts. Actively proliferating white poplar cell cultures were challenged with the different saponin extracts. Only alfalfa root saponins, at 50 mu g ml-1, induced significant cell death rates (75.00 +/- 4.90%). Different cell subpopulations with peculiar cell death morphologies were observed and the programmed cell death (PCD)/necrosis ratio was reduced at increasing saponin concentrations. Enhancement of nitric oxide (NO) production was observed in white poplar cells treated with root saponins (RSs) at 50 mu g ml-1 and release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the culture medium was also demonstrated. Saponin-induced NO production was sensitive to sodium azide and NG-monomethyl-l-arginine, two specific inhibitors of distinct pathways for NO biosynthesis in plant cells.

Autore Pugliese

• Avato Pinarosa

Tutti gli autori

• AVATO P.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Non Disponibile

Anno di pubblicazione

2011

ISSN

0031-9317

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

13

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Scopus

11

Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

Non Disponibile

Settori ERC

Non Disponibile

Codici ASJC

Non Disponibile