Saponin Terpenoids; A Brief Review of Mechanisms of Actions and Anti-cancerous Effects

Saponins are high molecular weight glycosides with a wide variety of biological activities and pharmaceutical applications. Saponins are widely distributed in plants and interact biologically with active cellular structures. It seems that saponins in different classes may have different inter- or intra-cyto-modulating targets and their specific effective sites. In recent years, some cytotoxic activities of important phytochemical components of saponin category have been revealed, and also an apoptotic effect on some carcinomatous cells lines showed. There is a vast variety of properties that by three major mechanisms as; Direct nuclear intervention, Immune system augmentation and Chelating effects promotes the anti-cancerous effects of saponins and regulation of some molecules like cyclin A, promoting the immune system and also affecting on the apoptosis of cells are among them. In this review we try to classify the prominent interactions of these molecules and effects of these groups of compounds over the cellular apoptotic mechanisms, Immune system interference, and cell protection, hence trying to elucidate probable important points in future usage of natural pharmaceutical treatment of cancerous cells.