Steroidal glycosides from the bulbs of Bessera elegans and their cytotoxic activities.

Examination of the bulbs of Bessera elegans (Liliaceae) led to isolation of nine new and five known steroidal glycosides. The structures of the nine compounds were determined based on the results of spectroscopic analysis, including two-dimensional NMR, and hydrolysis followed by chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis. The isolated compounds and derivatives were evaluated for cytotoxicity against HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells, A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells, and TIG-3 normal human diploid fibroblasts. One compound, the pseudo-furostanol glycoside, induced apoptosis in HL-60 and A549 cells in a time-dependent manner and cell-cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in A549 cells.