Tigogenin is a steroidal sapogenin that has been found in A. sisalana and has diverse biological activities.1,2,3,4 It increases the proliferation rate of, as well as mRNA levels of genes encoding the osteoblastic differentiation markers Cbfa1, collagen type I, and osteocalcin in, mouse bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in a concentration-dependent manner.2 It also increases matrix calcium deposition in BMSCs when used at concentrations of 30 and 90 μM. Tigogenin is active against the fungus A. fumigatus (MIC50 = 16 μg/ml).3 It inhibits carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats when administered at a dose of 4.2 μg/kg.4
1.Cripps, A.L., and Blunden, G.A quantitative gas-liquid chromatographic method for the estimation of hecogenin and tigogenin in the leaves, juice and sapogenin concentrates of Agave sisalanaSteroids31(5)661-669(1978) 2.Zhou, H., Yang, X., Wang, N., et al.Tigogenin inhibits adipocytic differentiation and induces osteoblastic differentiation in mouse bone marrow stromal cellsMol. Cell Endocrinol.270(1-2)17-22(2007) 3.Upadhyay, S.K., Creech, C.C., Bowdy, K.L., et al.Synthesis and antifungal activity of functionalized 2,3-spirostane isomersBioorg. Med. Chem. Lett.21(10)2826-2831(2011) 4.Peana, A.T., Moretti, M.D., Manconi, V., et al.Anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous extracts and steroidal sapogenins of Agave americanaPlanta Med.63(3)199-202(1997)