Synthesis and biological activity of 22-deoxo-23-oxa analogues of saponin OSW-1.

Analogues of the potent cytotoxic saponin OSW-1 were prepared from the readily available steroidal 16 beta,17 alpha,22-triol. The new 22-deoxo-23-oxa analogues of OSW-1 were screened against eight cancer cell lines and normal human fibroblasts. The analogues proved to be slightly less active than OSW-1 but also less toxic to normal cells. They induce concentration- and time-dependent apoptosis of mammalian cancer cells with caspase-3 activation.