Formosanin C

Formosanin C is a diosgenin saponin with multiple biological activities. Formosanin C possesses multiple anti-tumor mechanisms, including inducing apoptosis and autophagy, blocking the cell cycle, inhibiting metastasis and inducing ferroptosis. Formosanin C can inhibit the NF-κB signaling pathway to exert anti-inflammatory effects, and enhance the activity of immune cells. Formosanin C exhibits the inhibiting effect against C. albicans. Formosanin C can be used for the study of anti-inflammation, antifungal anti and anti-cancer (including lung cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer, etc.)^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}. In Vitro:Formosanin C (0-10 μM, 0-4 days) significantly enhances the proliferation response of GM-CFCs in human peripheral whole blood to PHA (Phytohemagglutinin) (HY-11107), and in mouse lymphocytes to Concanavalin A (HY-P2149), as well as in mouse granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cells^[1].
. Formosanin C (24-72 h) inhibits HepG2, A549 and SW480 cells growth with IC₅₀s of 13.62 μg/mL, 4.2 μM and 0.06 μM in 24 h, respectively^[2][3].
. Formosanin C (5-10 μg/mL, 24-48 h) induces apoptosis of HepG2 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner^[2].
. Formosanin C (0-8 μM, 24 h) suppresses the lung cancer A549 cells population through caspase activation-mediated apoptosis^[3].
Formosanin C (0-5 μg/mL, 24 h) interferes with the cell cycle process by blocking HepG2 cells at the S phase^[2].
. Formosanin C (4 μM, 0-72 h) can induce early stage autophagy progression, proceed to blockage of autophagic flux in A549 cells, increase mitochondrial membrane potential, block autophagy progression, and has no influence on CCCP (HY-100941)-induced mitophagy^[3].
Formosanin C (2-4 μM, 24 h) suppresses the motility of lung cancer cells through EMT (Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition) pathway^[3].
Formosanin C (5 μM, 24 h) induces ferritinophagy and ferroptosis via a lipid ROS-dependent processin liver cancer HepG2 cells^[4].
Formosanin C (0.625-5 μM, 24 h) blunts LPS (HY-D1056)-induced NO and PGE production in a dose-dependent manner, inhibits iNOS and COX-2 expression, and blocks LPS-upregulated mRNA expression and medium release of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in macrophages^[5].
Formosanin C exhibits the inhibiting effect against C. albicans (MlC =1 ug/mL, pH = 7) and inhibits biofilm formation (MlC = 25 ug/mL)^[6].
In Vivo:Formosanin C (1-5 mg/kg, i.p., once daily for 2 days) significantly activates the activity of mouse NK cells and induces the production of interferon in C3H/He mice^[1].
Formosanin C (1-5 mg/kg, i.p., once daily for 11 days or every other day for 13 days) significantly inhibited tumor growth in MH-134 cells induced mice xenograft model^[1].