Cytotoxic triterpene glycosides from sea cucumbers

Abstract

The class Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers) belonging to the phylum Echinodermata is characterized by the production of triterpene glycosides with sulfate groups attached to the monosaccharide residues in a great majority of the saponins isolated so far. Due to their toxicity and membranotropic action, these polar compounds have attracted the attention of chemists and pharmacologists and a wide spectrum of biological activities has been found for these secondary metabolites. The purpose of this communication is to review the structural characteristics and the cytotoxic properties of triterpene glycosides isolated from sea cucumbers in the last five years, focusing on structure-activity correlations and research on their mechanisms of action.