Recent studies on antimicrobial and anticancer activities of saponins: a mini-review

Multidrug-resistant cancer cells and microbial pathogeneses remain the complicated hindrances in therapy for cancer and microbial infections. In addition, severe side effects from chemotherapy can result from conventional drugs. New formulations based on bioactive compounds isolated from medicinal plants may alleviate these side effects and increase antimicrobial activity. Saponins as surface-active triterpene glycosides can be synthesized by various plants (wild plants and cultivated crops such as soapbark trees and soapwort), lower marine animals, and some bacteria. Nano-formulations of saponins, particularly on a scale of <۱۰۰ nm, can augment therapeutic effects in the body by overcoming some disadvantages of saponins, mainly potential damage to the intestinal mucosa and disruption of blood cells.

کلیدواژه ها:

bioactive compounds ، Chemotherapy ، Conventional drugs ، Disrupting blood cells ، Intestinal mucosa ، medicinal plants ، Severe side effects ، Triterpene glycosides