A NEW SAIKOSAPONIN FROM BUPLEURUM CHINENSE DC.

Bupleurum chinense DC. is a wellknown and very important traditional Chinese drug. It is often used to treat common cold with fever, alternating chill and fever, feeling of fullness and oppression in the chest. A new saikosaponin was isolated from Bupleurum chinense DC. and its structure was identified as 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→3)-β-D-fucopyranosyl-3β,16α,23,28-tetrahydroxy-olean-11,13(18)-dien-30-oic acid-30-O-xylityl(1→1)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-6-ester on the basis of chemical and spectral evidence. In addition, three known saikosaponins were isolated and characterized as saikosaponin l, 2″-O-acetyl-saikosaponin b₂ and 2″-O-acetylsaikosaponin a. All the compounds were isolated from Bupleurum chinense DC. for the first time.