Two new asterosaponins from the starfish Asterias rubens: application of a cryogenic NMR probe head

We report two new asterosaponins from the Baltic starfish Asterias rubens along with their ¹H and ¹³C NMR data. The compounds were isolated after on‐flow liquid chromatography–NMR–mass spectrometry screening indicated that they had not been identified before. The one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR experiments used to elucidate the structures were recorded using a 5 mm cryogenic probe head. The advantages of cryogenic probes for this kind of examination in comparison with conventional probe heads are discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Two New Steroidal Saponins from Tacca plantaginea

Two new C27 steroidal glycosides, named taccaoside A(1) and B(2), were isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Tacca plantaginea. The spectroscopic and chemical evidences revealed their structures to be 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-3β,26-dihydroxy furost-5,20-diene-3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)]-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→3)]-β-D-glucopyranoside(1) and 26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(25R)-3β,26-dihydroxy furost-5,20-diene-3-O-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)]-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→3)]-β-D-glucopyranoside(2),respectively.     

Two Novel Antifungal Saponins from Tibetan Herbal Medicine Clematis tangutica

Antifungal assay-guided isolation of the ethanol extract of the aerial parts of Clematis tangutica yielded two novel triterpene saponins. Their structures were determined to be 3-O-α-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl ester (1) and 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl ester (2) on the basis of spectral data and chemical reactions.     

Arjunolic acid derivative glycoside from the stems of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hedera colchica</Emphasis>

Five triterpenoid saponins were isolated from the stems of Hedera colchica K. Koch, Araliaceae. Two of them are new natural substances. HCSt-A (1): 3-O--D-arabinopyranoside; 28-O--L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 4)-O--D-glucopyranosyl-(16)-O--D-glucopyranosyl-arjunolic acid. HCSt-B (2): 3-O--D-xylopyranoside; 28-O--L-rhamnopyranosyl-(14)-O--D-glucopyranosyl-(16)-O--D-glucopyranosyl-hederagenin. The derivative of arjunolic acid is described for the first time in Araliaceae family. The chemical structures of isolated compounds were established on the base of chemical and 1D and 2D NMR experiments.Published in Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 461–463, November–December, 2004.This revised version was published online in April 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Triterpenoids from Rhaponticum Uniflorum

The isolation and identification of twenty‐one components (including four new triterpenoid saponins and one new triterpenoid acid) from the root of Rhaponticum uniflorum (L.) DC. (Compositae) are described. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral analysis and chemical trans formation. The new compounds were identified as 3‐O‐α‐L‐arabinopyranosyl‐urs‐12,18(19)‐dien‐28‐oic acid β‐D‐glucopyranosyl ester, 3β‐ hydroxyurs‐12,18(19)‐dien‐28‐oic acid β‐D‐glucopyranosyl ester, 3β‐hydroxyurs‐12,19(29)‐dien‐28‐oic acid β‐D‐glucopyranosylester, 3‐O‐α‐L‐arabinopyranosyl‐urs‐9(11),12‐dien‐28‐oic acid β‐D‐glucopyranosyl ester and 2 α,3 α, 19α,25‐tetrahydroxyurs‐12‐en‐23,28‐dioic acid.     

Tirucallane Triterpenoid Saponins from Munronia delavayi Franch

Four new tirucallane triterpenoid saponins, named munronosides I–IV ( 2 – 5 ), along with three known triterpenoids, sapelin B ( 1 ), melianodiol, and (3β)‐22,23‐epoxytirucall‐7‐ene‐3,24,25‐triol, were isolated from the EtOH extract of the whole plants of Munronia delavayi Franch by chromatographic methods. On the basis of spectroscopic evidences, the structures of 2 – 5 were elucidated as (20S,23R,24S)‐21,25‐epoxy‐29‐{{O‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[α‐l‐ rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→6)]‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl}oxy}‐23,24‐dihydroxytirucall‐7‐ene‐3,21‐dione ( 2 ), (3β,20S,23R,24S)‐21,25‐epoxy‐29‐{{O‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[α‐l‐ rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→6)]‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl}oxy}‐3,23,24‐trihydroxytirucall‐7‐en‐21‐one ( 3 ), (20S,23R,24S)‐24‐(acetyloxy)‐21,25‐epoxy‐29‐{{O‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[α‐l‐ rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→6)]‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl}oxy}‐23‐hydroxytirucall‐7‐ene‐3,21‐dione ( 4 ), and (3β,20S,23R,24S)‐24‐(acetyloxy)‐21,25‐epoxy‐29‐{{O‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐[α‐l‐ rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→6)]‐β‐d‐ glucopyranosyl}oxy}‐3,23‐dihydroxytirucall‐7‐en‐21‐one ( 5 ).     

Chemical fingerprint analysis and quantitative determination of steroidal compounds from Dioscorea villosa,Dioscorea species and dietary supplements using UHPLC‐ELSD

Ultra high‐performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with evaporative light scattering detection was used for the quantification of steroidal saponins and diosgenin from the rhizomes or tubers of various Dioscorea species and dietary supplements that were purported to contain Dioscorea. The analysis was performed on an Acquity UPLC? system with an UPLC? BEH Shield RP₁₈ column using a gradient elution with water and acetonitrile. Owing to their low UV absorption, the steroidal saponins were observed by evaporative light scattering detection. The 12 compounds could be separated within 15 min using the developed UHPLC method with detection limits of 5–12 µg/mL with 2 μL injection volume. The analytical method was validated for linearity, repeatability, accuracy, limits of detection and limits of quantification. The relative standard deviations for intra‐ and inter‐day experiments were <3.1%, and the recovery efficiency was 97–101%. The total content of standard compounds was found to be in the ranges 0.01–14.5% and 0.9–28.6 mg daily intake for dry plant materials and solid commercial preparations, respectively. UHPLC–mass spectrometry with a quadrupole mass analyzer and ESI source was used only for confirmation of the identity of the various saponins. The developed method is simple, rapid and especially suitable for quality control analysis of commercial products. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Comprehensive Metabolite Profiling in Genetic Resources of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Collected from Different Geographical Regions

Garlic (Allium sativum) is the second most important Allium crop that has been used as a vegetable and condiment from ancient times due to its characteristic flavor and taste. Although garlic is a sterile plant that reproduces vegetatively through cloves, garlic shows high biodiversity, as well as phenotypic plasticity and environmental adaptation capacity. To determine the possible mechanism underlying this phenomenon and to provide new genetic materials for the development of a novel garlic cultivar with useful agronomic traits, the metabolic profiles in the leaf tissue of 30 garlic accessions collected from different geographical regions, with a special focus on the Asian region, were investigated using LC/MS. In addition, the total saponin and fructan contents in the roots and cloves of the investigated garlic accessions were also evaluated. Total saponin and fructan contents did not separate the garlic accessions based on their geographical origin, implying that saponin and fructan contents were clone-specific and agroclimatic changes have affected the quantitative and qualitative levels of saponins in garlic over a long history of cultivation. Principal component analysis (PCA) and dendrogram clustering of the LC/MS-based metabolite profiling showed two major clusters. Specifically, many Japanese and Central Asia accessions were grouped in cluster I and showed high accumulations of flavonol glucosides, alliin, and methiin. On the other hand, garlic accessions grouped in cluster II exhibited a high accumulation of anthocyanin glucosides and amino acids. Although most of the accessions were not separated based on country of origin, the Central Asia accessions were clustered in one group, implying that these accessions exhibited distinct metabolic profiles. The present study provides useful information that can be used for germplasm selection and the development of new garlic varieties with beneficial biotic and abiotic stress-adaptive traits.     

Acid-Catalyzed E-Ring Expansion and Isomerization of 3-Acetylbetulin: Synthesis of Cytotoxic Anhydrobetulin Saponins

22(17 → 28)abeo-Lupene derivatives 5a and 6a were obtained after the acid-catalyzed E-ring expansion of 3-acetylbetulin (1a). Glycosylation of these dehydrated triterpenoids using Schmidt's trichloroacetimidate sugar donors in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) provided the new anhydrobetulin saponins 7b–7e in which the terminal olefin C-20(29) isomerizes to form a C-19 tetrasubstituted alkene. The preliminary cytotoxic evaluation revealed that saponins 7b–7d exhibited a moderate cytotoxic activity against A549, DLD-1, and WS1 human cell lines with IC₅₀ ranging from 22 to 49 μM.     

New Steroidal Saponins from the Leaves of Yucca elephantipes

Two new spirostanol saponins, namely elephanosides G and H ( 1 and 2 , resp.) were isolated from the leaves of Yucca elephantipes (Agavaceae), together with the two known furostanol saponins 3 and 4 and the six known flavonoid O‐ and C‐glycosides 5 – 10 . The new structures were elucidated as (3β,25S)‐spirost‐5‐en‐3‐yl O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→4)‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside ( 1 ) and (3β,5β,25R)‐3‐[(2‐O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐β‐D ‐galactopyranosyl)oxy]spirostan‐12‐one ( 2 ) on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and acidic hydrolysis.