Icogenin, a new cytotoxic steroidal saponin isolated from Dracaena draco Original Research Article

This paper reports on the cytotoxic effect induced by a new natural steroidal saponin, icogenin, on the myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60. Icogenin was found to be a cytotoxic compound IC50 2.6 ± 0.9 μM at 72 h, with growth inhibition caused by the induction of apoptosis, as determined by microscopy of nuclear changes and the fragmentation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1.