One new cycloartane triterpene glycoside from Beesia calthaefolia

One new cycloartane triterpene glycoside (1) was isolated from the whole plant of Beesia calthaefolia. Its structure was elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis. Its inhibitory effect was measured by the classical pathway of the complement system, and compared with those of known related cycloartane glycosides 2 and 3, previously isolated by us from the same plant. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited inhibitory activity of complement system with IC₅₀ of 395.3 and 214 μM, respectively. The results suggested that OH at C-12, C-18 and C-15 along with the polarity could affect the inhibitory activity.