SAPONINS FROM THE ROOT OF BUPLEURUM-FALCATUM

Three new saponins and nine known saponins were isolated from the drie d roots of Bupleurum falcatum. On the basis of chemical and spectral a nalyses, the structures of new compounds, named 4''-O-acetylsaikosapon in d and hydroxysaikosaponins a and c, were established. In aqueous ac idic conditions, saikosaponins a and d were converted into not only kn own compounds, saikosaponins b(1) and b(2), but also hydroxysaikosapon ins a and d, respectively. Furthermore, quantitative analysis of the d ecoction of Bupleuri Radix itself by HPLC exhibited that it contained saikosaponins a,c and d, and hydroxysaikosaponins a, c and d.