Pontential mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of four steroidal saponins from Smilax china rhizomes were investigated. These saponins did not reveal mutagneicity in the Ames and SOS umu test. For antimutagenic activity by SOS umu test, two spirost...
Pontential mutagenic and antimutagenic activities of four steroidal saponins from Smilax china rhizomes were investigated. These saponins did not reveal mutagneicity in the Ames and SOS umu test. For antimutagenic activity by SOS umu test, two spirostanol glycosides, dioscin and gracillin, inhibited the activity of beta-galactosidase induced by AF-2, but their prototype furostanol glycosides did not show this activity.