ANTIFUNGAL AND MOLLUSCICIDAL SAPONINS FROM SERJANIA-SALZMANNIANA

An investigation of Serjania salzmanniana for biologically active subs tances has led to the isolation of two novel saponins, salzmannianosid e A (3-O-[[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-[(alpha-L- nosyl-(1-->2)]-al pha-L-arabinopyranosyl]gypsogenin [3] and salzmannianoside B (3-O-[[be ta-D-glucopyranosyl- 1-->4)]-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-L - syl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]hederagenin) (4). Two known sa ponins, pulsatilla saponin D (3-O-[[beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-[al pha-L- syl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]hederagenin) (1) and anos yl-(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl]oleanolic acid (2) were also isol ated from this plant. The structures of 3 and 4 were elucidated by FAB MS and 2D NMR techniques. All these four saponins were mollusicidal, c ausing 70-100% mortality at 10 ppm against Biomphalaria alexandrina, a vector of Schistosoma mansoni in the Nile Valley. The saponins also s howed antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans at minimal inhibitory concentrations of 8 and 16 mu g/mL, res pectively.