The Cytotoxicity of Saponins Correlates with Their Cellular Internalization

Sneaking in unexpectedly: Saponins are a broad class of plant-derived compounds that are commonly used as a tool to disrupt cell membranes. Some saponins such as that shown above, however, do not anchor themselves to the cell membrane, but are instead internalized. They localize specifically to acidic organelles such as lysosomes, and inhibit the growth of tumor cells.