STRUCTURE IDENTIFICATION OF VULGARSAPONIN A

AIM：To study the constituents of the spikes of Prunella vulgaris L. METHODS: The constituents were separated by using various chromatographies and the structures were identified on the basis of chemical and spectral analysis. RESULTS: Six compounds were isolated from the spikes of Prunella vulgaris L., their structures were identified as β-amyrin (1),　α-spinasterol (2), stigmasterol (3),　stigmast-7-en-3β-ol (4), caffeic acid (5) and 2α,3α-24-trihydroxy-olean-12-ene-28-oic acid-28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester (6). In addition, eight fatty acids were isolated and identfied by GC-MS from the lipid fraction. CONCLUSION: Compound 6 was a new saponin and named as vulgarsaponin A. Compounds 2～4 were obtained for the first time from this plant.