Novel triterpenoid saponins from residual seed cake of Camellia oleifera Abel. show anti-proliferative activity against tumor cells.

Four oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins were isolated from the seed cake of Camellia oleifera Abel.: camelliasaponin B1 and three new saponins, oleiferasaponin C1-C3 (1-3). Their structures were identified as 22-O-angeloyl-camelliagenin B 3-O-[β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)]-[β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucopyranosiduronic acid methyl ester (1); 22-O-angeloyl-camelliagenin A 3-O-[β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)]-[β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucopyranosiduronic acid methyl ester (2); and 28-O-cinnamoyl-camelliagenin B 3-O-[β-d-galactopyranosylz-(1→2)] [β-d-galactopyranosyl(1→2)-α-l-arabinopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-d-glucopyranosiduronic acid methyl ester (3) through 1D and 2D NMR, HR-ESI-MS, as well as GC-MS spectroscopic methods. The anti-proliferative activities of these four compounds were investigated on five human tumor cell lines (BEL-7402, BGC-823, MCF-7, HL-60 and KB). Compounds 1 and 2 and camelliasaponin B1 showed significant cytotoxic activities.