SAPONINS FROM SUGAR-BEET AND THE FLOC PROBLEM

Extraction of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) molasses resulted in the i solation of the known 3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-3 beta-hydroxy-ole an-12-en-28- oic acid (1) and a novel compound which was shown from ma ss and NMR spectroscopy to be D-xylopyranosyl-(1-3))-beta-D-glucuronop yranosyl-3 beta-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (2). These compounds ar e not present in the root of the fresh plant but are found in the leav es along with another new saponin: a-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-2)-(beta-D-xy lopyranosyl-(1- 3))- D-glucuronopyranosyl]-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl- 3 beta-hydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid (3).