Solasonine is a
glycoalkaloid
Glycoalkaloids are a family of chemical compounds derived from alkaloids to which sugar groups are appended. Several are potentially toxic, most notably the poisons commonly found in the plant species '' Solanum dulcamara'' (bittersweet nightshad ...
that is found in ''
Solanum
''Solanum'' is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, which include three food crops of high economic importance: the potato, the tomato and the eggplant (aubergine, brinjal). It is the largest genus in the nightshade family Solana ...
'' plants of the family
Solanaceae
Solanaceae (), commonly known as the nightshades, is a family of flowering plants in the order Solanales. It contains approximately 2,700 species, several of which are used as agricultural crops, medicinal plants, and ornamental plants. Many me ...
. Solasonine is a
poisonous
A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
chemical compound
A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...
when used at high levels. It is a
glycoside
In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...
of
solasodine
Solasodine is a poisonous alkaloid chemical compound that occurs in plants of the family Solanaceae such as potatoes and tomatoes. Solasonine and solamargine are glycoalkaloid derivatives of solasodine. Solasodine is teratogenic to hamster fe ...
. Glycoalkaloids such as solasonine have various applications including pharmacology, cancer treatments and even a role as a pesticide.
High levels of glycoalkaloids are toxic to humans due to their ability to disrupt cell-membrane function. There is a loss of membrane integrity which puts the cell at risk for apoptosis (cell death) due to the ability of any chemical coming into contact with the cell.
Solasonine was one component of the unsuccessful experimental cancer drug candidate
Coramsine.
Anticancer Potential
Solasonine is one of the main components in the plant
''Solanum nigrum'' Linn.. The plant has been used in traditional Chinese medicine due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. Recent studies highlight the effects of solasonine and its anticancer potential by the suppression of tumor growth, inducing
apoptosis
Apoptosis (from ) is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms and in some eukaryotic, single-celled microorganisms such as yeast. Biochemistry, Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes (Morphology (biol ...
, and activating
ferroptosis
Ferroptosis (also known as oxytosis) is a type of programmed cell death dependent on iron and characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxides. Ferroptosis is biochemically, genetically, and morphologically distinct from other forms of regulat ...
.
Solasonine enhances anticancer potential by inducing apoptosis, or programmed cell death, through the regulation of key pathways, such as the mitochondrial membrane permeability.
Ferroptosis, a process that promotes cancer cell death, can be activated with solasonine by increasing and catalyzing
reactive oxygen species
In chemistry and biology, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly Reactivity (chemistry), reactive chemicals formed from diatomic oxygen (), water, and hydrogen peroxide. Some prominent ROS are hydroperoxide (H2O2), superoxide (O2−), hydroxyl ...
(ROS) production.
Side Effects
Although, solasonine has anti-infection properties it has many adverse side effects as a steroidal glycoalkaloid.
These side effects include low blood pressure, a decrease in respiratory activity, rapid heart beat etc.
These side effects are the direct result of the cytotoxic properties of solasonine (at high levels) that lead to disrupted cell membranes. Not only do high doses of solasonine disrupt cellular DNA synthesis, but they also suggest the presence of genotoxic and mutagenic effects.
Toxic symptoms such as headache, gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. can be the result of an overdose on ''Solanum nigrum'' Linn..
See also
*
Solauricidine
References
External links
*{{Commonscatinline
Steroidal alkaloids
Alkaloid glycosides
Plant toxins
Steroidal alkaloids found in Solanaceae