TRITERPENOID SAPONINS FROM GYMNEMA-SYLVESTRE

Besides six known gymnemic acids, four new tritepenoid saponins, gymne masins A, B, C and D, isolated from the leaves of Gymnema sylvestre, w ere identified as 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1 --> eta-D-glucuronopyra nosyl]-22-O-tigloyl-gymnemanol, 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1 --> 3)-b eta-D-glucuronopyranosyl]-gymnemanol, 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-22 -O-tigloyl-gymnema and 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-gymnemanol, respe ctively. The aglycone, gymnemanol, which is a new compound, was charac terized as 3 beta,16 beta,22 alpha,23,28-pentahydroxyolean-12-ene.