STUDIES ON DIFFERENTIATION INDUCERS .5. STEROID GLYCOSIDES FROM PERIPLOCAE RADICIS CORTEX

Six pregnane glycosides and three cardenolides were isolated as differ entiation inducers using mouse myeloid leukemia (Ml) cells from Peripl ocae Radicis Cortex (bark of Periploca sepium BGE., Asclepiadaceae), T he cardenolides showed much higher activities than the pregnane glycos ides, Besides these nine compounds, commercially available cardenolide s were tested for their differentiation inducing activities using Ml c ells, Digitoxin and digoxin induced Ml cells into phagocytic cells, bu t others did not. In the presence of 1 nM of actinomycin-D, the activi ty of steroid glycosides was enhanced against Ml cells.