OLEANOLIC ACID SAPONINS FROM ROOT BARK OF ARALIA-ELATA

Three new oleanolic acid glycosides, tarasaponins I-III, were isolated as their methyl esters from the root bark of Aralia elata together wi th four known glycosides, the methyl esters of chikusetsusaponins IVa, IV, 28-desglucosyl-chikusetsusaponin IV and pseudoginsenoside RT(1). Tarasaponins I-III were characterized as oleanolic acid abinofuranosyl (1-->4)]-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside, oleanolic acid alactopyranosyl(1- ->3)]-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside and beta-D-glucopyranosyl oleanolate alactopyranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-glucuronopyranoside, respectively.