A new cyclolanostanol xyloside, cimiaceroside A was isolated from Cimi
cifuga acerina (Miyagi) and Actaea asiatica, and another, cimiacerosid
e B, from C. simplex and C. acerina(Oki) respectively. The absolute st
ereostructures of cimiacerosides A and B were determined as 20(S),22(R
),23(S),24(R)-16 beta :23;22:25-diepoxy- 3 beta,23, 24-trihydroxy-9, 1
9-cyclolanost-7-ene- 3-0-beta-D-xylopyranoside and 20(S),22(R),23(S),
24(R)-16 beta :23;22:25-diepoxy-3 beta,23, 24-trihydroxy-9, 19-cyclola
nostang3-0-beta-D-xylopyranoside on the basis of chemical and spectral
data, and with the aid of a new version of Mosher's method.