STEROIDAL SAPONINS FROM THE UNDERGROUND PARTS OF RUSCUS-ACULEATUS ANDTHEIR CYTOSTATIC ACTIVITY ON HL-60 CELLS

Phytochemical examination of the underground parts of Ruscus aculeatus has been undertaken as part of a systematic study of plants of the Li liaceae. Six new spirostanol saponins and five new furostanol saponins were isolated, and their structures were assigned on the basis of spe ctroscopic analysis, including two-dimensional NMR techniques, and hyd rolysis. Ruscogenin diglycoside with three acetyl groups attached to t he inner galactosyl moiety and its corresponding 26-glucosyloxyfurosta nol saponin showed cytostatic activity on leukemia HL-60 cells. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.