Two new furostanol saponins from the rhizomes of Anemarrhena asphodeloides

AimTo investigate the chemical constituents of the rhizomes ofAnemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge. MethodsThe compounds were separated by means of solvent extraction, chromatography on absorbent resin SP825 and silica gel C₁₈ repeatedly, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of chemical methods and spectral analyses (FAB-MS,¹H NMR,¹³C NMR,¹H-¹H COSY). ResultsSix steroidal saponins were isolated from the rhizomes ofAnemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge. They were identified as (25S)-26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-22-hydroxy-5β-furostane-2β,3β,26-triol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-galactopyranoside (timosaponin N, 1), timosaponin E₁(2), (25S)-26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-22-methoxy-5β-furostane-2β,3β,26-triol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-O-β-Dgalactopyranoside (timosaponin O, 3), timosaponin E₂ (4), (25R)-26-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-22-hydroxy-5α-furostane-2α,3β,26-triol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-［β-D-xylpyranosyl-(1→3)］-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-galactopyranoside (purpureagitosid, 5) and marcogenin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-galactopyranoside (6). ConclusionCompound 1 and compound 3 are new compounds, and compound 5 was isolated from the rhizomes ofAnemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge for the first time.