Triterpenoid Saponins from Schefflera arboricola

Four new triterpenoid saponins, named scheffarboside A – D ( 1 – 4 ), along with five known saponins were isolated from the stems of Schefflera arboricola. The structures of the four new saponins were determined as 3‐O‐(O‐β‐glucuronopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)oleanolic acid ( 1 ), 3‐O‐(O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)oleanolic acid ( 2 ), 3‐O‐(O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)hederagenin ( 3 ), 3‐O‐(O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐α‐arabinopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐α‐arabinopyranosyl)oleanolic acid O‐α‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐O‐β‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 6)‐β‐glucopyranosylester ( 4 ), respectively, on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical degradation methods.