| abstract |
A saponin extract from Saponaria vaccaria and its use for stimulating apoptosis in cancer cells and treating cancer is described. The saponin extract may be isolated from Saponaria vaccaria seed. The saponin extract may comprise one or more than one triterpene saponin. The triter-pene saponin may comprise a bisdesmosidic saponin having a molecular weight selected from the group consisting of molecular weight 1448, 1464, 1422, 1526, 1596 and 1688. Bisdesmosidic saponin of molecular weight 1448, 1464, 1422, 1526, 1596 and 1688 isolated from Saponaria vac-caria seed may be used to treat human cancer in-cluding prostate cancer, human breast cancer and colon cancer. Also disclosed is a method of isolat-ing the saponin extract. |