ABSTRACT
For more than thirty years triterpene glycosides from holothuroids (holothurians) have attracted the attention of chemists, biochemists, pharmacologists, and biologists-taxonomists. Triterpene glycosides of holothuroids have a wide spectrum of biological effects: antifungal, antitumor, hemolytic, cytostatic and immunomodulatory activities. The medicinal properties of these preparations are attributed to triterpene glycosides. Many kinds of biological activities of holothuroid triterpene glycosides are a result of their cytotoxic action, i.e. their capability to induce disturbances in cellular membrane maintenance up to lysis. ‘Holothurin’ has a hemolytic action against rabbit erythrocytes. The hemolytic index of ‘holothurin’ is 6–7 times more than that of the so-called ‘saponin’ (the mixture of plant triterpene glycosides). ‘Holothurin’ is active in vitro against Amoeba proteus as are holotoxins from Apostichopus japonicus against Trichomonas vaginalis. The data on anti-protozoan activity of glycosides of Cucumaria echinata are discussed.
