Synergistic cytotoxicity induced by α-solanine and α-chaconine

• Published in: Food chemistry 2013-11, Vol.141 (2), p.669-674
• Main Authors: Yamashoji, Shiro, Matsuda, Takako
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Transport - drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Membrane - drug effects; Cell Membrane - metabolism; Cell Survival - drug effects; Chemiluminescent assay; Food toxicology; LDH assay; Medical sciences; NAD - metabolism; Rats; Solanine - analogs & derivatives; Solanine - toxicity; Solanum tuberosum - chemistry; Synergistic effect; Toxicology; Toxins, Biological - toxicity; WST-1 assay; α-Chaconine; α-Solanine
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.03.104

•α-Solanine and α-chaconine had a synergistic cytotoxic effect on C6 rat glioma cells at a mixing ratio of 1:1.•The synergistic cytotoxicity was observed by menadione-catalysed chemiluminescent assay, WST-1 assay and LDH assay.•Cytotoxic effect on menadione-catalysed H2O2 production was observed just after the addition of alkaloids to cells.•Rapid disruption of plasma membrane by these alkaloids caused the lethal disorder of metabolism. α-Solanine and α-chaconine are well-known potato toxins, but the mechanism of the synergistic cytotoxic effect of these alkaloids has been little clarified. This study confirmed their synergistic cytotoxic effects on C6 rat glioma cells by three different cell viability tests, namely WST-1 (water-soluble tetrazolium) assay sensitive to intracellular NADH concentration, menadione-catalysed chemiluminescent assay depending on both NAD(P)H concentration and NAD(P)H:quinone reductase activity, and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) assay sensitive to the release of LDH from damaged cells. The maximum cytotoxic effect was observed at a ratio of 1:1 between α-solanine and α-chaconine at micromolar concentrations. The cytotoxic effects of these alkaloids were observed immediately after incubation and were constant after 30min, suggesting that rapid damage of plasma membrane causes the lethal disorder of metabolism.