STUDIES ON THE CONSTITUENTS FROM DIOSCOREA PLANTS Ⅹ.ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE ROIDAL SAPONINS AND SAPONGENINS FROM DIOSCOREA ALTHAEOIDES KUNTH

Four components were isolated from acid-treated rhizome of Dioscorea althaeoides Kunth. Their structures were identified as diosgenin (Ⅰ), β-sitosterol (Ⅱ), diosgenin palmitate (Ⅲ) and △^3,5-deoxytigogenin (Ⅳ) on the basis of physical constants and spectral data.Two sparingly soluble steroid saponins were also isolated from this plant Their physicochemical constants showed that one of them is dioscin (Ⅴ) and the other graeillin (Ⅵ).