Antibacterial activity of a triterpenoid saponin from the stems of Caesalpinia pulcherrima Linn.

A new compound 1 was isolated from the methanolic extract of the stems of the Caesalpinia pulcherrima Linn. along with a reported compound (2) 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester. The new compound 1 has m.p. 272–274°C, m.f. C₄₆H₇₄O₁₇, [M]⁺ m/z 898. It was characterised as 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28-O-β-D- xylopyranosyl ester by various colour reactions, chemical degradations and spectral analyses. Antibacterial activity of compound 1 was screened against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and showed significant results.