Three new spirostanol saponins and two new furostanol saponins were is
olated from the fresh leaves of Cordyline stricta. Their structures we
re elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, including variou
s 2D-NMR techniques, hydrolysis, and by comparison of spectral data of
known compounds. Two of the isolated saponins contained a new branche
d triglycoside moiety assigned as O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 --> 2)-
O-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 3)]-beta-D-xylopyranose with the format
ion of an O-glycosidic linkage to C-l of the aglycone. (C) 1997 Elsevi
er Science Ltd.