Effect of the triterpenoid miliacin on the sensitivity of lymphocytes in the thymus and spleen to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis.

We studied the effect of plant triterpenoid miliacin on dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in thymocytes and splenocytes. Miliacin produced a protective effect on splenocytes by decreasing the degree of DNA fragmentation due to blockade of the cascade cell death distally to the intramembrane phosphatidylserine translocation.